Mesoscopic modeling of the rtm process for homogenization

Abstract

Intrinsic hybrids can be manufactured in a modified resin transfer molding (RTM) process for fibre reinforced polymers. Our work concentrates on mesoscopic modeling for temperature-dependent visco-elastic effects accompanied by curing within the RTM process. During hybridization and later thermal loading the periodic mesostructure defined by resin and fibres is taken into account as a representative volume element (RVE) subjected to thermo-mechanical loading. Homogenization leads to results on the less resolved macroscale. In the examples we illustrate the characteristic behavior of the mesoscopic model, such as shrinking due to curing and temperature dependence and simulate the RTM process as well as thermal loading of the cured composite with the finite-element-method.