Residual stresses, which are set in the fiber reinforced composites during the laminate curing in a closed

form, lead to dimensional changes of composites after extracting from the form and cooling. One of these
dimensional changes is called “springback” of the angle sections. Other dimensional changes are warpage of
flat sections of composite or displacement of single layers of composite for example. In our case four
different lay-ups were analyzed (three symmetrical and one unsymmetrical). An analytical model which
covers temperature changes, chemical shrinkage during curing and moisture change was used. Also a FEM
analysis was done for predicting the springback, and both calculations were compared with the measured
data from manufacturer.

The main goal of this work is to make a tool, to predict springback angle for given laminated plate with
single or double curvature with defined number of layers made from defined combination of fibre and
matrix. The springback angle is necessary to predict because of manufacturing more precious parts and also
for good correction of the compression mould. The manufacturer of the composite plates (Letov Leteck´a
V´yroba, s. r. o.) has provided some measured data from the manufacturing process.

A finite element model was created and analyzed for thermo-elastic deformations using ABAQUS solver. For
the calculation of plates with the single curvature was created model of the one quarter of the plate, for the
plates with the double curvature was done model of one half. The model was solved with the hexahedron
incompatible mode elements and two types of material properties. The first was defined by the orthotropic
linear elastic properties and the thermal expansion material coefficients for the unidirectional lamina, the
second one by the linear elastic material properties and the orthotropic thermal expansion for the whole
composite.

Boundary conditions for the case of single curvature part were symmetrical and displacement in y direction
was forbidden to highlighted node in Fig. 6. For the case of double curvature part, boundary conditions are
shown in Fig. 7. Displacements in x and z are forbidden for marked area and also displacement in y direction
was forbidden to highlighted node. Elements

The work done by the Padovic et al. analyzed the springback phenomena both analytically and numerically.
The main objective of this work was to create a tool that can predict the springback angle for the composite
material with defined combination of fiber and matrix. The final results were validated with the data
provided by the manufacturer (Letov Leteck´a V´yroba, s. r. o.). In addition, the numerical side of the work,
analyzed the thermo-elastic deformations using ABAQUS solver where the finite element model was
created for solution of single curvature of quarter of the plate and also double curvature of the half of the
plate. For the calculations, the hexahedron mode elements and two types of material properties were used.
The first one was, orthotropic linear elastic and the thermal expansion material coefficients for the
unidirectional lamina and the second one was the linear elastic material and the orthotropic thermal
expansion properties for the whole composite. Boundary conditions were set according to the single and
double curvature cases where the displacements in y direction was forbidden for single one and, x and z
displacement restrictions were set for double curvature one. The final results obtained from the
manufacturing processes were good agreement with the analytical and numerical solutions. [1]
This paper presents an engineering method to predict the spring-back of aircraft thick composite structures
produced through an autoclaving process. The model previously developed by the same authors is firstly
enhanced to be used in an aeronautic case study: an Airbus A350 rib.

The Airbus A350 wing box rib is a laminated structure made of carbon/epoxy IMA/M21E with uniform
thickness and symmetrical stacking. Its largest dimensions are approximately 0.8 m length by 0.2 m width,
and it is manufactured through an autoclave process in which the temperature of curing is 180
C (Fig. 2a). A male tool made of nickel–iron alloy was selected for this study.
Manufacturing experience showed spring-in of the rib L-shaped flanges.

The simulation involved the tool, the interface and the laminate, all modelled with solid elements. Because
of the failure behavior of the interface elements, the numerical model used an explicit integration scheme
in ABAQUS v6.13. The tool and laminate were modelled using isotropic and orthotropic thermo–mechanical
elastic behavior laws respectively. To simulate the failure of the interface, its properties were programmed
using FORTRAN and input to ABAQUS in the form of a ‘user material’ (VUMAT) subroutine.

The spring-back model uses volume elements and an explicit solver, so simulation of the full structure is not
directly possible in an industrial context. To obtain an accurate model of the structure, a large number of
elements are necessary, which makes the model time consuming to complete. Thus, simulation was applied
only where the spring-back was expected, i.e. at the rib L-shaped flange. This could be considered
separately from the surrounding deformed shape Initial shape (a) Spring-in (b) Warpage Deformed shape

Fig. 1. (a) Spring-in and (b) warpage. structure because previous spring-in simulation of the composite L-
shape (Fig. 2b) had shown that only a quarter of its size need be studied.

Stresses were taken considered at the temperature related to the failure of the first interface element. The
in-plane stress distribution was found to be similar to those described in the literature [13,17]. To obtain
80% of the spring-in, the first ply CTE was modified and thus the in-plane stress was concentrated in the first
ply near the interface, with a maximum value of 150 MPa (1). Then, the stress decreased to become
negative (2), and finally reached zero on the upper surface

The distribution of the out-of-plane shear stress at the interface is the second parameter required to
correctly match the spring-in. The distribution along the z-direction at various temperatures is presented in
Fig. 7a. The out-of-plane shear stress distribution numerically obtained reproduces the experimental
observations and detailed on [4]. During the cool down step, a notable characteristic of the out-of-plane
shear stress distribution is that there is almost no shear along a large portion of the length (1) but it
increases exponentially near the end (2) until to reach the out-of plane shear stress failure of 3.8 MPa (3).
Moreover, the first failure appears at the flange corner for a temperature of 174
C, and migrates to the symmetrical plane at the base of the fillet (Fig. 7b).
As the temperature decreases, the failure front migrates simultaneously in both directions as described in
the literature [17].

Results have shown that the interface has only slight influence on the final deformation and therefore it is
possible to consider the first ply CTE only. Finally, in a third step, for the sections where predicted spring-
back is close to the tolerance limits, accurate local 3D models are used. This method is feasible in an
industrial context and can be used to estimate the post manufacturing deformation of complex structures.
Thus, comparison with the acceptable tolerances given by the industrial is possible and the tool shape
modification can be predicted.
Another work done on spring back prediction was done by the Fiorina et al.[2] where the model for analysis,
the box rib of the Airbus 350 wing was used. The model is the structure made of carbon/epoxy IMA/M21E
with uniform thickness and symmetrical stacking. What is more, this model was through an autoclave
process in which the temperature of curing is 180 0C. The model also consists of two parts which are male
and female parts where the male part was made of nickel–iron alloy. As the manufacturing experience
showed that the spring-in of the rib L-shaped flanges were the case, the work was concentrated on
determining this phenomena with different numerical approach. An explicit integration scheme in ABAQUS
v6.13 was used as a numerical model and also, the properties are programmed using the FORTRAN in the
form of a ‘user material’ (VUMAT) subroutine. Additionally, isotropic and orthotropic thermo–mechanical
elastic behavior laws were used for modelling. Due to the time saving prospective, instead of analyzing the
whole model, only quarter part or the one L-shaped part was analyzed. The two types of stresses were
taken into consideration to match with the experimental results for spring-back. These stresses were in-
plane and out-of-plane shear stresses. And the analysis showed that the in-plane stress was concentrated in
the first ply near the interface when the first ply CTE was modified and the maximum stress value was 150
MPa. For the out-of-plane shear stress, shear stress at the interface is the second parameter required to
correctly match the spring-in. During the cool down faze apparent characteristic that was observed was that
that there is almost no shear along a large portion of the length (1) but it increases exponentially near the
end (2) until to reach the out-of-plane shear stress failure of 3.8 MPa (3). At the temperature 174 0C, the
first failure appears at the flange corner and migrates to the symmetrical plane at the base of the fillet. With
the temperature reduction, the failure front migrated simultaneously in both directions. Overall, the work
mentioned that the interface has only slight influence on the final deformation and therefore it is possible
to consider the first ply CTE only and also it was shown that method is feasible in an industrial context and
can be used to estimate the post manufacturing deformation of complex structures.
1) Padovec, Z., Růžička, M., & Stavrovský, V. (2012). Springback analysis of thermoplastic composite
plates. Applied and Computational Mechanics, 6(1).
2) Fiorina, M., Seman, A., Castanié, B., Ali, K. M., Schwob, C., & Mezeix, L. (2017). Spring-in prediction
for carbon/epoxy aerospace composite structure. Composite Structures, 168, 739-745.