Transversely isotropic properties for non-planer geometery

[barry]

I need to complete a thermal simulation on the nose of an aircraft constructed of a carbon-fiber resin material. I have values for the in-plane and out-of-plane thermal conductivity. Considering the geometry of the cone, I can't enter the thermal conductivities oriented with a rectilinear coordinate system (as is necessary in the material editor for this type of material). The analysis is for cooling an electronics system through the aircraft skin.

With the ongoing prolifieration of composite materials, having this capability would be significantly beneficial. If Autodesk could incorporate this ability into their simulation tool, it would be a product differentiiating capability.

[apolo_vanderberg]

In some instances a method used to get the appropriate material properties would be to CAD the geometry split in 2pieces through the thickness. This would allow you to assign a volume material to both and then assign a surface material between the two volumes.

Based on the volume and surface properties you can influence in-plane vs out-of-plane conductivities

[barry]

Reasonable, though this material is .040" over several hundred square inches of area so it seems doing a three material stack would result in an excrutiatingly large mesh. That is, with a mid-plane node through the thickness of each material (7 nodes minimum total through the material) and maintaing a reasonable element aspect ratio, the number of nodes/elements would be very high. I don't believe options such as extrude mesh would be valid with the surface shape of the aircraft nose.

Thanks,

Barry

[apolo_vanderberg]

Barry,

 It would be 2 volumes, the 3rd 'material' would just be a Surface material assigned to the interface between the two other portions.

But this would be the best method currently to getting what you are after

[picirrottola]

Barry,

please, have a look this IDEA; it seems to be very similar to your.

Orthotropic material - 'element' or 'material' axis? (idea added in ‎29-09-2013)

Bye, Piero