Pore network modeling of permeability for textile reinforcements

The homogenized permeability of textile reinforcement is computed using pore network modeling. The model takes as input a 3D image of the reinforcement, reduced to an array of points, each of them having a binary value designating whether the point lies inside a yarn or in a pore. The array can be acquired by X‐ray micro‐computerized tomography. The calculations proceed in two steps. First, the 3D image is analyzed to create a representation of the pores in the reinforcement by a system of interconnected pipes. Each pipe is characterized by its hydraulic resistance. Then the hydraulic resistance of the system of pipes is computed using the Kirchoff theory to yield a value for homogenized permeability of the reinforcement. The model is applied to a glass woven laminate, producing results in good agreement with experimentally measured values.