Uncertainty modeling of residual stress development in polymeric composites manufactured with Resin Transfer Molding process

Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is an advanced process to manufacture high quality thermoset polymeric composites. The quality of the composite depends on the resin infusion stage and the cure stage during the RTM process. The resin curing is a complex exothermic process which involves resin mechanical property evolution, resin volume shrinkage, thermal expansion, heat transfer, and chemical reaction. Since the fibers and resin have many differences in their physical properties, the composite cure stage inevitably introduces the undesired residual stress to the composite parts. As the residual stress could sometimes generate local matrix failure or degrade the performance of the composite, it is important to model and minimize the residual stress. This paper presents a model to predict the residual stress development during the composite cure process. By slightly disturbing the manufacturing parameters such as the mold heating cycle and the cure kinetics of polymer, the variations of residual stress development during the RTM process can be modeled and compared. A parametric uncertainty study of the residual stress development in the polymeric composite manufactured with RTM will be performed and discussed.