Experimental study and finite element analysis of mechanical behavior of plain weave fabric during deformation through a cross-section observation

Abstract

In this study, the mechanical behaviors of a plain weave polyester fabric were investigated, along with the consequent changes in the internal structure under uniaxial tensile loading. Optical microscopy was used to establish relationships between the changes in the internal structure of the woven fabric during loading at several strain levels (from initial to pre-breakage stages). Using computer-aided design tools, a 3D geometric model of a woven pattern was built based on a lenticular plain weave model, and a corresponding engineering analysis was performed using the finite element method. A comparison of the model and experimental data showed good results for predicting the shape of the stress-strain curve for both directions of tensile testing, as well as for determining the geometric parameters of the woven fabric, such as the yarn spacing, migrations of individual filaments within the yarn cross-section, and changes in the yarn shapes in the fabric structure.