Abstract
We present a computational analysis of viscous flow through arrays of fiber bundles using the Boundary Element Method (BEM) implemented on a multi-processor computer. Up to 700 individual fibers are included in each simulation. These are simple but not trivial models for fibrous preforms used in composites manufacturing-dual porosity systems characterized by different inter- and intra-tow porosities. The way these porosities affect the hydraulic permeability of a preform is currently unknown and is elucidated through our simulations. Numerical results are compared to analytical models. Through a large number of simulations we construct a master curve for the permeability of arrays of fiber bundles for various packing arrangements.
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