E. Zappino 1, M. Petrolo 1,N. Zobeiry 2, E.

Carrera 1
1 MUL2 Group, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca
degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
2 Materials Science & Engineering Department, University of Washington, Seattle, 98195, USA Country

A Refined Model for the Prediction of Process-induced Deformations

of Composite Structures
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

POLITO and UW Sinergy

• New and improved material systems

Finite
Multifield
Elements
• Characterization and in-situ monitoring
Failure
methods
Rotor
Dynamics
Virtual Computat- • Optimizing existing processing
Manufact- ional
uring Mechanics
methods and mitigating
Composites

Aeroelasti- manufacturing-induced defects

city
• AI-enhanced manufacturing methods
• Developing high-fidelity and real-time
process simulation tools
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

L-Shaped components in aircraft composite structures

• L-shaped components are largely used in aircraft
composite structures;

• The assembly of complex structures make the

geometrical accuracy a key-factor during the
manufacturing;

• Defects and residual stresses must be minimized since

could lead to an early failure of the whole structure.

Moretti, L., Olivier, P., Castanié, B., Bernhart, G. Experimental

study and in-situ FBG monitoring of process-induced strains
during autoclave co-curing, co-bonding and secondary bonding
of composite laminates (2021) Composites Part A: Applied
Science and Manufacturing, 142, art. no. 106224
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Curing Process and defects

The high standards required in aerospace structures can be achieved only using a high-
pressure/temperature curing process in autoclave.

During the polymerization process the composite

part undergoes to many loads:
⚫ Thermal gradients
⚫ Chemical shrinkage
⚫ Tool-part interaction
⚫ External pressure
⚫ ….

The anisotropy of the composite material creates stress and strain

fields during the curing process that may have consequences on the
final shape of the component and can produce residua stresses.
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Process Induced deformations

Bogetti, T. A.; Gillespie, J. W. (1992). Process-

Induced Stress and Deformation in Thick-Section
Thermoset Composite Laminates. Journal of
The phenomenon is driven by the through-thickness deformation, that is,
Composite Materials, 26(5), 626–660.
doi:10.1177/002199839202600502 the numerical models use for the simulations must include this effect!
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Outline

• Carrera Unified Formulation at-a-glance

• Curing model
• Virtual manufacturing solution scheme
• Model Assessment
• Numerical results
• Conclusions
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

CUF Models
A generic three-dimensional unknown field can
be written as:

𝐮 = 𝐮 x, y, z = {ux , uy , uz }

The vector u can be written as:

𝐮 = u(y)Fτ (x, z)𝐮τ

A functions expansion, Fτuτ, depends on the

theory of structure that has to be adopted The
problem on the axis is solved using the classical
Finite Element Method, FEM:

𝐮 = Ni y Fτ (x, z)𝐮iτ

Where Ni are the classical Lagrange shape

functions.

Carrera E, Cinefra M, Petrolo M, Zappino E. Finite element analysis of

structures through unified formulation. John Wiley & Sons; 2014
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Kinematic Models
Equivalent Equivalent Layer
Laminate Single Wise
Model Layer

• The properties of the laminate are • The properties of each lamina are • The properties of each lamina
considered as homogeneous considered as independent. are considered as
independent.
• The same expansion is used • The same expansion is used
thorough-the-thickness of the thorough-the-thickness of the • Each layer has an independent
laminate. laminate. kinematic expansion.
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Curing Model - CHILE

The Cure Hardening Instantaneously Linear Elastic - CHILE - approach accounts for modulus
development during cure. In this constitutive model, the material is assumed to be elastic with
a constant modulus at each time that only changes with temperature and DOC.

The CHILE approach allows to consider the final displacement Zobeiry Navid, Forghani Alireza, Li Chao, Gordnian Kamyar,
Thorpe Ryan, Vaziri Reza, Fernlund Goran and Poursartip
and stress fields as the sum of N independent steps. Anoush 2016Multiscale characterization and
representation of composite materials during
processingPhil. Trans. R. Soc. A.3742015027820150278
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Iterative Solution Approach

 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Loads and Tool Removal

Thermal load Shrinkage The external loads due to ∆𝑇 and ∆𝜀𝑠 are
evaluated at each step, in according with the
𝛿𝐿𝑒𝑥𝑡 = න 𝛿𝜀 𝑇 𝐶𝛽∆𝑇𝑑𝑉 + න 𝛿𝜀 𝑇 𝐶∆𝜀𝑠 𝑑𝑉 material properties of the component at the given
𝑉 𝑉
degree of cure.

The forces at the interface between the part and the

component are evaluated at each step. The sum of these
forces will be used for the final demolding analysis.

𝑁
𝑖
𝐹𝑡𝑟 = ෍ ∆𝐹𝑡𝑟
𝑖=1
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Benchmark Geometry
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Assessment Closed-form solution assumption:

• No friction at the interface;
• Equivalent laminate properties (Eb);
• Constant Shear through-the-thickness
• Rigid tool

Takagaki K, Minakuchi S, Takeda N. Process-induced strain and distortion in curved composites. part i: Development of fiber-optic strain monitoring
technique and analytical methods. Compos Part A: Appl Sci Manuf 2017;103:236–51. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.09.020.
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Convergence Analysis A linear expansion

over the cross-
section, L4, has a
slow convergence
rate.
Effects of the time steps number. 41 steps ensure a good
accuracy and have been considered in the following analysis.

Quadratic , L9, or
cubic, L16,
elements lead to
comparable results.
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

L-shaped composite part curing simulation

A B

C
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Impact of the Kinematic Model

• Closed form solution

1.412°

• ELM model
1.318° • -6.7%

• ESL Model
1.293° • -1.9%

• LW Model
1.261° • -2.47%
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Residual Strain
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Residual Stress
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Stress and Strain Evolution

 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Computational efficiency
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Spring-in angle reduction techniques

Longitudinal
warping

Spring-in Spring-in Spring-in Warpin Warping

Lam ID Stacking Sequence
tip B A gB A
91 0/90/0/90/90/0/90/0 1.27 1.17 1.17 0.06 0.06
98 90/0/0/0/0/90/90/0 0.32 0.75 1.08 -0.19 -0.35
119 0/90/90/0/90/90/90/0 -0.06 0.62 0.86 -0.32 -0.42
122 90/0/0/90/90/90/90/0 -0.27 0.55 0.76 -0.38 -0.48
139 0/90/0/90/0/0/0/90 0.39 0.77 1.13 -0.17 -0.33
146 90/0/0/0/90/0/0/90 0.15 0.70 1.00 -0.25 -0.40
175 0/90/90/90/0/90/0/90 -0.39 0.52 0.73 -0.42 -0.53
232 90/90/90/0/0/90/90/90 0.92 -0.90 -0.90 0.01 0.01

Non symmetric laminations can reduce the X10 Magnification Undeformed

spring-in angle, but undesired longitudinal @91
warping appears.
@119
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Spring-in angle reduction techniques

Localized patches at the corner of the component can be used
to reduce the spring-in angle introducing a local unbalance
lamination.
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Conclusions
• The prediction of process-induced deformations and
residual stresses requires accurate models able to detect
through-the-thickness stretching

• CUF models based on LW kinematic provide a 3D accuracy

in the spring-in angle analysis and can be used to study the
process induced stress field.

• The present models can reduce the computational cost of

orders of magnitude, if compared with solid models.

• The development of accurate virtual manufacturing models

can be used to investigate innovative e approaches to
minimize residual deformations and stresses.
 || Enrico Zappino, Politecnico di Torino

Acknowledgments
The authors thank Professors R. Vaziri and A. Poursartip of the Composites
Research Network, The University of British Columbia, for their support and
fruitful discussions during the development of the present models.