Manufacture Sensitive Analysis of Three Dimensional Ceramic Matrix Composites

A primary obstacle to the wide-spread adoption of advanced textile reinforced ceramic matrix composites is the understanding of the effects of fiber architecture on the performance of the part. This proposal will develop an analytical model capable of understanding the effects of weaving on the properties of the composite material. Unlike other methodologies, the proposed model accounts for variations in weave structure at different points of the composite. This model is based on the actual weaving loom instruction set to ensure that the developed geometric model correctly matches the formed fabric. The model will be validated using experimental results obtained for a SiC/SiC C-channel through our partnership with Pratt & Whitney and B. F. Goodrich.