Thermal conductivity of a thick 3D textile composite using an RVE model with specialized thermal periodic boundary conditions

Abstract Finite element analysis is performed to virtually measure homogenized thermal conductivity of a thick 3D woven textile composite (T3DWC). Temperature-dependent thermal and mechanical properties of constituents are considered for the measurements over a wide range of temperature. A two-step homogenization approach is adopted here to simplify the analysis at the microscopic level without losing heterogeneity of the material at the macroscopic scale. First-step homogenization is carried out at a tow level using an analytical homogenization scheme. Fiber tows are homogenized and assigned with effective elastic and thermal properties. The solid tows are then implemented into a representative volume element considering the unique in-plane periodic fiber architecture of the thick composite material. Due to the unique in-plane periodicity, conventional periodic boundary conditions for thermal and mechanical loading conditions are reformulated. Anisotropic thermal conductivity of T3DWC is obtained from the second-step homogenization based on virtual thermal tests performed at ambient to elevated temperatures.