Structural Optimization of Locally Continuous Fiber-Reinforcements for Short Fiber-Reinforced Plastics

Abstract

The integration of continuous fiber-reinforced structures into short or long fiber-reinforced plastics allows a significant increase in stiffness and strength. In order to make the best possible use of the high stiffness and strength of continuous fiber-reinforcements, they must be placed in the direction of load in the most stressed areas. A frequently used tool for identifying the most heavily loaded areas is topology optimization. Commercial topology optimization programs usually do not take into account the material properties associated with continuous fiber-reinforced hybrid structures. The anisotropy of the reinforcing material and the stiffness of the base material surrounding the reinforcement are not considered during topology optimization, but only in subsequent steps. Therefore in this publication, existing optimization methods for hybrid and anisotropic materials are combined to a new approach, which takes into account both the anisotropy of the continuous fiber-reinforcement and the stiffness of the base material. The results of the example calculations not only show an increased stiffness at the same material input but also a simplification of the resulting reinforcement structures, which allows more economical manufacturing.

Modeling of a Process Window for Tailored Reinforcements in Overmolding Processes

“…Carbon fiber-reinforced composites offer exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, making them highly desirable for lightweight applications in the automotive [1] and aerospace [2] industries. However, the high cost of carbon fibers limits their economic feasibility, particularly in the automotive sector [3].…”

An algorithm for generating microstructures of fiber‐reinforced composites with long fibers

“…Due to their inherent anisotropy, characterizing fiber‐reinforced composites experimentally is typically expensive, in particular when the long‐time mechanical behavior, that is, creep and fatigue, is concerned, or when interfaces with other materials 1,2 are present. Computational multiscale methods 3 offer to reduce the involved effort, complementing only a few measurements by providing a digital twin of the real experiment.…”

Editorial for the Special Issue on Advanced Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

“…Mechanics models can be also used to optimize the structure, when designing composites for structural applications. Mehl et al [24] investigated these structural optimizations by improving topology optimization tools to account for material stiffness and property anisotropy in both the reinforcing fibers and matrix and in hybrid structures that utilize short fibers and locally continuous fibers. This effort resulted in the optimized beam structures with less struts, thus reducing the manufacturing complexity.…”