Local residual stress mitigation after curing process by spread fiber tow in carbon fiber-reinforced plastic

The application of the tow spreading technique to wound filaments or woven composites seems promising because of its advantageous strength enhancement mechanism. The effects of tow spreading on the curing progress and the residual stress of the resin were investigated in this study. We hypothesized that the homogeneous distribution of fibers realized by the tow spreading technique suppresses the stress concentration of the resin in the vicinity of close-packed fibers. This hypothesis was examined through finite element simulation using a micro-scale model with the definite separation of fiber and resin. The residual stress and strain after the curing process were investigated using a newly developed simulation system.