Fiber-reinforced rubber composites with integrated shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator wires present a promising approach for the creation of soft and highly elastic structures with adaptive functionalities for usage in aerospace, robotic, or biomedical applications. In this work, the flat-knitting technology is used to develop glass-fiber-reinforced fabrics with tailored properties designed for active bending deformations. During the knitting process, the SMA wires are integrated into the textile and positioned with respect to their actuation task. Then, the fabrics are infiltrated with liquid silicone, thus creating actively deformable composites. For dimensioning such structures, a comprehensive understanding of the interactions of all components is required. Therefore, a simulation model is developed that captures the properties of the rubber matrix, fiber reinforcement, and the SMA actuators and that is capable of simulating the active bending deformations of the specimens. After model calibration with experimental four-point-bending data, the SMA-driven bending deformation is simulated. The model is validated with activation experiments of the actively deformable specimens. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental tests, thus enabling further investigations into the deformation mechanisms of actively deformable fiber-reinforced rubbers.

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This paper presents investigations aiming to improve the impregnation of a coating agent and thus increase the mechanical performance of geogrids, especially grid-like non-crimp fabrics (NCF) consisting of carbon fiber heavy tows (CFHT). The squeezing process is industry standard, but the relationship between the machine setting parameters (squeezing pressure and hardness of squeeze roll surface) and the impact on the tensile strength of grid-like NCF is still unexplored. The setting parameters evaluated lead to an increase in tensile strength of up to 10% compared to grid-like NCF coated without the squeezing process. Additionally the first insights into the coating process supported by ultrasonic vibrations based on CFHT single yarns are provided. It is shown that the tensile strength of treated CFHT can be increased by up to 12%, in comparison to CFHT coated without ultrasonic vibrations.

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