Analysis of bending properties of worsted wool yarns and fabrics based on quasi-three-point bending

Abstract

The bending behavior of worsted wool yarns and fabrics plays a crucial role in handling and performance of end-use textiles. Hence, the fabric/yarn bending properties were studied based on a quasi-three-point bending model by means of the theoretical modeling and the corresponding measuring method. By means of the formula and the measured curves, the curve of bending rigidity and the curvature of a fabric or a yarn can be calculated so as to characterize the bending behavior more precisely than in the previous work. All the experiments on the fabric/yarn bending rigidity have been conducted for both the worsted wool fabrics and the corresponding yarns procured from the fabrics, with the same apparatus bending evaluation system of fabric and yarn, which was developed independently. The measured results of bending rigidity and curvature curve show good correlation with the bending moment and the curvature relationship of the theoretical modeling, and the comparisons of bending rigidity among KES-FB2 (Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics-2 pure bending tester), FAST-2 (Fabric Assurance by Simple Testing-2 bending meter), and the independently developed apparatus show that the three systems exhibist reasonably high correlations. It is confirmed that the new apparatus and the theoretical model are both viable and precious. Meanwhile, the theoretical relationship between the yarns and the fabrics has also been discussed, and the theoretical analysis of the bending behavior between the yarns and the fabrics is helpful in selecting a better theoretical model of the fabric-to-yarn bending rigidity ratio.