Micro-computed tomography determination of glass fibre reinforced polymer meso-structure

The local laminate quality of parts manufactured with liquid composite moulding (LCM) cannot be predicted in a reliable manner without knowledge of flow phenomena on a meso-scale. To better predict local laminate quality, the long-term goal is to simulate meso flow around fibre bundles. Such simulations allow to determine how fibre bundles are impregnated and how voids develop. The aim of the present paper is to evaluate micro-computed tomography (μCT) as a tool to determine the geometry of fibre bundles and voids in glass fibre reinforced polymers (GFRP). The resolution of the used μCT enabled visualization of each fibre bundle separately and of inter bundle voids. Using post-processing techniques, the data of the μCT can be converted to finite element models. These models can be taken as input for future Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations.