Consolidation simulation of composite laminates: Formulation and validation verification

Advanced fiber‐reinforced polymer composites have been increasingly used in various structural components. One of the important processes to fabricate high‐performance laminated composites is an autoclave‐assisted prepreg lay‐up. Since the quality of laminated composites is largely affected by the cure cycle, selection of the cure cycle for each application is important and must be optimized. Thus, some fundamental model of the consolidation and cure processes is necessary to properly select the suitable parameters for each application. This article is concerned with the “flow‐compaction” model during the autoclave processing of composite materials. By using a weighted residual method, a two‐dimensional finite element formulation for the consolidation process of thick thermosetting composites is presented and the corresponding finite element code is developed. Numerical examples, including comparison of the present numerical results with one‐dimensional and two‐dimensional analytical solutions, are given to indicate the accuracy and effectiveness of the finite element formulation. In addition, a consolidation simulation of AS4/3501‐6 graphite/epoxy laminate is performed and is compared with the experimental results available in the literature. POLYM. COMPOS., 26:813–822, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers