A Finite Element Approach to Optimize Fiber Paths of Tow Steered Composites Using Unstructured Mesh Technique

Date

2025-01-01

Author

Kayran, Altan
Haq, Rameezul

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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This study proposes a finite element-based methodology to optimize curvilinear fiber paths in Tow Steered Composites (TSCs) by tuning two governing fiber orientation parameters, T0 and T1. These angles define the spatially varying fiber direction along the lamina, directly influencing structural stiffness and buckling behaviour. MATLAB is employed to extract the complete central fiber path definitions for a flat square plate made up of a single lamina, with parametric sweep of 81 combinations of (T0, T1), the sole parameters which govern the central fiber path. For the purpose of finite element modelling, a novel approach of executing unstructured mesh is adopted in ANSYS Workbench, with an objective to cover the no overlap and overlap regions precisely for each of the combinations of (T0, T1) in the entire plate, subsequently the combinations are evaluated by first conducting simple static structural analysis under axial compression, followed by linear eigenvalue buckling analysis. Buckling load factors are extracted to identify optimal fiber path configurations. While overlap-related defects from fiber placement are acknowledged, the shift distance optimization is discussed as future work. The findings highlight the critical role of fiber orientation tailoring in maximizing structural performance under compressive loads.

Subject Keywords

Buckling Load Factor, Finite Element, Optimization, Overlaps, Tow Steered Composites, Unstructured Mesh

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https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=105021828905&origin=inward
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/117181

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Department of Aerospace Engineering, Conference / Seminar