摘要

Process simulation is of great importance in the development of processes for cost-effective fabrication of composite structures, particularly for thermoset matrix composites. For the simulation of autoclave or hot press process, it requires knowledge of the compaction behavior and the saturated transverse permeability of fiber reinforcements. In this paper, a simple method without any sophisticated equipment is shown, which can simultaneously measure the compaction curve and the saturated transverse permeability as a function of fiber volume fraction. The method was used to measure the properties of S-2 glass rovings and T700S carbon rovings prepregs. The effects of the impregnating fluid variety, the initial fiber volume fraction of prepreg, and the lay-up type on the compaction behavior were investigated. The transverse permeability was also studied as a function of fiber content for various lay-up types. The results indicate that Gutowski';s compaction model and the modified Kozeny-Carman equation proposed by Gutowski, which are important input parameters for the resin flow model, can be used to adequately fit the experimental data.