Abstract: Needle punching parameter, such as needle density and needle depth, have a significant impact on the performance of the basalt fiber preform. Based on the finite element analysis method and the secondary development of ABAQUS software using Python language, the representative volume element (RVE) of the basalt fiber preform of different needle depth and needle density was established. The influence of these parameter on the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of the basalt fiber preform were studied combined with the experimental results. The results show that the fiber mesh layer is mainly combined by needle punching fibers, and the shear performance of the prefabricated body can be improved by increasing the needle density and the needle depth, but the effect of increasing the needle density is more obvious than that of increasing the needle depth. When the temperature gradient is applied along the z-axis direction of the prefabricated body, the heat flow vector is mainly concentrated in the needle fibers, and the above phenomenon becomes more obvious when the needle depth is increased. Therefore, increasing the needle depth is not conducive to the thermal protection of the prefabricated body.

Key words: fiber needling, basalt fiber, mechanical property, thermal conductivity, finite element analysis, ABAQUS