Numerical simulation of curing deformation of resin matrix composite curved structure

In order to investigate the curing deformation process of resin matrix composite curved structure, first, the evolutions of physical properties such as density, modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity et al during the curing process of carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composites were analyzed, and those evolutions were introduced into the numerical simulation. Second, the new approach of constructing the curvilinear coordinate system by streamline equation of steady flow was proposed for the composite complex curved structure. Third, the distribution of internal temperature, curing degree and internal stresses, and evolution situations of material physical properties along with curing degree during the curing process of the skin plate of a light aircraft wing were calculated by finite-element method based on the curvilinear coordinate system constructed. Finally, the deformations of the structure caused by the uneven distributions of internal temperature field and cure degree field, anisotropy of thermal expansion coefficient and volumetric shrinkage of resin result from curing were calculated. The results show that the numerical simulation of curing process will be more reasonable and the simulation results will be more accurate when the evolutions of material physical properties are adopted, and the curvilinear coordinate system constructed by streamline equation of steady flow is applicable to the finite element analysis of composite curved structure.The conclusions have instruction significance to the research of curing deformation process of resin matrix composites and the establishment of three dimensional solid model of composite complex curved structure which is anisotropic.