Flow in deformable porous media: Modelling and simulations of compression moulding processes

This paper deals with the mathematical modelling, based on the theory of flows in deformable porous media, and with some numerical simulations of a unidirectional compression molding process. The technological process which we have considered consists of a compression of a pile of preimpregnated layers operated by a piston acting on the top of the pile. The main idea towards the modelling is the use of Lagrangian coordinates fixed on the solid skeleton. This technique allows us to simulate the system evolution either when the dynamics is controlled by the velocity of the piston and when it is controlled by the pressure applied on the piston.