Modeling and parametric analysis of tow-steered composites with manufacturing defects using unstructured meshing technique
Journal of Composite Materials, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1177/00219983261488923
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Composite Materials
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Applied Science & Technology Source, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: buckling load factor, finite element analysis, manufacturing defects, tow-steered composites, unstructured mesh, variable stiffness
- Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Tow-steered composites enable spatial stiffness tailoring through curvilinear fiber paths and offer significant performance improvements over conventional straight-fiber composites. However, their manufacturing via Automated Fiber Placement inherently introduces defects due to spatial thickness variations, which influence structural response. This study presents a finite element framework for the modeling and parametric analysis of a single tow-steered composite lamina constructed using the Overlap Method, while explicitly accounting for the manufacturing defects. A novel unstructured meshing strategy is developed to conform element boundaries to discrete tow overlap geometries, enabling accurate representation of nominal and overlap regions. Linear fiber-angle variation is employed to generate curvilinear paths, and a parametric study is conducted over a wide range of tow-steered configurations. Buckling load factor is evaluated and compared against straight-fiber baselines. Results demonstrate that appropriately selected tow-steered configurations can significantly outperform constant-stiffness laminas, while also revealing strong sensitivity of structural performance to overlap topology and fiber path parameters. The proposed modeling approach provides an efficient tool for high-fidelity parametric investigation of variable stiffness composites.