Viscoelastic characterization of polymers for deployable composite booms

Kang, Jin Ho; Hinkley, Jeffrey A.; Gordon, Keith L.; Thibeault, Sheila A.; Bryant, Robert G.; Fernández, Juan M.; Wilkie, W. Keats; Morales, Hector; Mcgruder, Donovan; Peterson, Ray S.; Brandenburg, Charlotte J.; Hill, Evin; Arcot, Nina

doi:10.1016/j.asr.2020.07.039

Cited by 19 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The curvature radius at the second stable configuration is calculated using Equation to be ~23 mm, and the values of the simulation and experimental measurement are ~23.7 and 19.3 mm, respectively. The error between the simulation and the theoretical calculation is 2.95%, and the experimental value is ~20% lower in comparison to the simulation and theoretical results, because the stress relaxation of the resin affects the cross‐section shape of the laminated shell, 39 but is not taken into account in the FE simulation and analytical model. Additionally, imprecise ply angles assigned in manufacturing samples probably increase the errors.…”

Section: Coiling Up Of Carbon/epoxy Plain Woven Composite Shellsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Experimental validation study on snap through and coiling up of deployable composite shells

Chang,

Zhao,

et al. 2023

Polymer Composites

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Bistable reeled composite shells (BRCS) have been widely used in deployable space structures due to advanced properties of light weight and large volume reduction. A finite element simulation and experimental validation to study the transition of BRCS between their two stable states are performed. In this article, multiscale representative volume element (RVE) modeling is used to compute the equivalent mechanical properties of carbon/epoxy plain woven fabrics that were utilized to construct the deployable composite laminates, followed by experimental verification. The deformation characteristics and strain energy distribution of the deployable composite shell (DCS) during snap through and coiling up are investigated using finite element analysis (FEA) and verified by strain‐gauge and digital image correlation (DIC) tests. The results show that the strain energy distribution in the snap through and coiling up of the carbon/epoxy plain woven BRCS with laminate stacking sequence of [+45/−45] is approximately symmetric. Additionally, an offset phenomena is observed during the coiling up of the BRCS in the finite element modeling. A parametric analysis is complemented to investigate effects of fiber angles on the deformation characteristics and strain energy distribution of the shell structures during snap through and coiling up.Highlights Shell deformation during snap through and coiling up was investigated. DIC test was performed to capture the shell deformation. Strain energy distribution of the deployable composite shell was discussed. Offset phenomena are observed during the coiling up.

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Section: Coiling Up Of Carbon/epoxy Plain Woven Composite Shellsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Experimental validation study on snap through and coiling up of deployable composite shells

Chang,

Zhao,

et al. 2023

Polymer Composites

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“…The results showed that as the fiber off-axis angle increased, the specific creep increased. Kang et al 52 studied the viscoelastic properties of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and concluded that the laminates with the layout of [0°, 90°] 4 showed lower relaxation than [45°, −45°] 4 . The studies mentioned above show that the viscoelastic behavior is related to the layer orientation, and it’s feasible to reduce the influence by changing the laminate layout.…”

Section: Design Of Deployable Composite Structuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design, modeling, and manufacturing of high strain composites for space deployable structures

Ma,

An,

Cong

et al. 2024

Commun Eng

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The demand for larger and lighter mechanisms for next-generation space missions necessitates using deployable structures. High-strain fiber polymer composites show considerable promise for such applications due to their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, manufacturing versatility, packaging efficiency, and capacity for self-deployment using stored strain energy. However, a significant challenge in using composite deployable structures for space applications arises from the unavoidable extended stowage periods before they are deployed into their operational configuration in orbit. During the stowage period, the polymers within the composites experience material degradation due to their inherent viscoelastic and/or plastic properties, causing stress relaxation and accumulation of plastic strains, thereby reducing the deployment capability and resulting in issues related to recovery accuracy. This paper aims to give a state-of-the-art review of recent advances in the design, modeling, and manufacturing of high-strain composites for deployable structures in space applications, emphasizing the long-term stowage effects. This review is intended to initiate discussion of future research to enable efficient, robust, and accurate design of composite deployable structures that account for the enduring challenges posed by long-term stowage effects.

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