Numerical study of the mechanical behaviour of textile structures

Abstract

The arrangement as well as the properties and the structure of the fibres within the yarn and the yarns within the fabric generate a complex mechanism of deformation in such material. Therefore, intends to develop a theoretical model of the mechanical behaviour of the twill weave based on previous researches concerning the simplest plain weave. However, scaling up from the plain to the twill weave is not a direct transformation due to the non‐symmetry of the latter. The finite element method does not require simplifying hypotheses. Thus, it is possible to simulate different stresses, to determine the fabric response and to compare the behaviour of the various structures. This simulation requires the use of a realistic meshing of the basic cell and an accurate characterisation of the physical parameters of the material that composes the basic cell. Assuming the material to be elastic, the derived and, consequently, the discreet mathematical formulations of the problem have both been solved. The coefficients from those formulas are then used in the Modulef software. For each stage of the development, uniaxial, biaxial and perpendicular to the fabric plan, tensile tests have been simulated, as well as pure shear testing. The next step consisted of computing the Tresca and Von Mises stresses within the basic cell and the micro‐stress field within the basic cell components.

Citation

Tarfaoui, M. and Akesbi, S. (2001), "Numerical study of the mechanical behaviour of textile structures", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 13 No. 3/4, pp. 166-175. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000005780