Author:

Abstract:

The simulation of a resin flow through a porous medium by FE-models has become a very important aspect for the design of a high-performance RTM produced composite part. The FE-simulation software needs accurate input data such as reinforcement permeability. The measurement of this material parameter is still not standardized and thus many different set-ups have been proposed. In the present work a so-called mixed numerical/experimental method is presented for the permeability identification. In this iterative inverse technique an experimental observation on a highly automated central injection rig, called "PIERS set-up", is compared with a computed observation using a numerical model that simulates exactly the same experiment. In this model the permeability values will appear as parameters which will be iteratively tuned in such a way that the computed observation matches the experiment. The inverse method combined with the PIERS set-up assures a fast and accurate identification of the permeabilities.