Influence of Fiber Inclination Angle on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of a Composite

ABSTRACT Polymer composites have been adopted as a structural materials for solid rocket motor envelopes. The mechanical and thermal properties of these composites are strongly influenced by the orientation angle of the fibers. Due to the aerodynamic heating, accurate assessment of the effective heat and mechanical properties is crucial to the success of rocket engine designs. In this work, heat transfer simulation in the wall of a solid rocket engine envelope made of polymeric composite through the finite element method was employed to evaluate the effect of fiber inclination relative to the axis on effective thermal conductivity and effective specific heat, in conjunction with an inverse analysis technique. The results of thermal simulations improved the results and reduced the root mean square error by 12-15% in the mass loss rate, when compared to experimental results for ablation, allowing considering the methodology to be considered validated. The effective modulus of elasticity and the effective Poisson’s ratio are also evaluated, presenting an average deviation of 15.3% compared to experimental results. The results obtained show the dependence of these properties on this geometric parameter, allowing this methodology to be used as a reliable design tool for those systems.