A homogenization procedure for the numerical analysis of woven fabric composites

The paper presents a procedure for the numerical evaluation of the mechanical properties of woven fabric laminates. Woven fabrics usually present orthogonal interlaced yarns (warp and weft) and distribution of the fibers in the yarns and of the yarns in the composite may be considered regular. This allows us to apply the homogenization theory for periodic media both to the yarn and to the fabric. Three-dimensional finite element models are used in two steps to predict both the stiffness and the strength of woven fabric laminates. The model includes all the important parameters that influence the mechanical behavior: the lamina thickness, the yarn orientation, the fiber volume fraction and the mechanical characteristics of the components. The capabilities of the numerical model were verified studying the elastic behavior of a woven fabric laminate available in the literature and the ultimate strength of a glass fabric laminate experimentally investigated. The procedure, that can be implemented into commercial finite element codes, appears to be an efficient tool for the design of textile composites.     

碳纤维织物力学性能和冲压成形实验研究

在实际成形过程中,碳纤维复合材料往往处于复杂的应力状态,开展近于真实载荷环境下的力学试验分析,能够更准确地认识实际应用中材料的成形性能和变形机理.为获得碳纤维织物的基本力学特性,设计了平纹碳纤维织物拉伸试样及成形试样,进行了单轴拉伸、双轴拉伸、镜框剪切试验和方盒冲压成形实验研究,对比了不同双拉比及纱线取向对力学性能及成形性能的影响.研究结果表明:碳纤维织物具有高度的非线性、各向异性和双拉耦合特性,即经纬向纤维的力学性能会相互影响;剪切变形是成形过程中的主要变形模式,当剪切角达到临界锁死角时,织物发生起皱现象;同种织物不同纱线取向试样表现出不同的成形性能,因此可以根据零件几何形状选择合适纤维取向的织物,从而减少缺陷,优化成形零件的力学性能.研究结果为后续建立碳纤维织物本构模型和成形仿真奠定了基础.     

Reinforcement of cementitious matrices by warp knitted fabrics

The efficiency of knitted fabrics for reinforcing cementitious composites was studied. Weft insertion warp kiitting fabrics of controlled structure were especially produced for this work consisting of high modulus (Kevlar and Polyethylene) and low modulus (Polypropylene) polymers. The performance of the fabrics was studied by evaluating the flexural properties of the composites and the bond to the matrix. The performance of the knitted fabrics was compared to that of the straight yarns from which the knitted fabrics were made, as well as comparison with woven fabric reinforcement. It was concluded that: (i) in the knitted fabric reinforcement greater efficiency was achieved in fabrics consisting of high modulus polymer yarns, which are made of bundles consising of a smaller number of filaments, (ii) the reinforcing effect of the knitted fabric is smaller than that of the individual straight yarns, (iii) the reinforcing efficiency of woven fabric reinforcement is better than that of the knitted fabric, due to the crimped structure of the yarns in the woven fabric. In view of these conclusions, it might be stated that the use of weft insertion warp knitting fabric for cement reinforcement is advantageous in the sense that the fabric can provide the means by which a composite can be produced with continuous and aligned yarns. However, with this kind of fabric some of the reinforcing efficiency of the individual yarns is lost. In contrast, the use of woven fabric can provide all of the above, with the added advantage of enhanced reinforcing efficiency over the straight yarns, induced by their crimping in the woven fabric.     

Properties of yarn pull-out in para-aramid fabric structure and analysis by statistical model

The aim of this study is to analyze and determine the pull-out properties of para-aramid woven fabrics. Para-aramid Kevlar29® and Kevlar129® woven fabrics were used to conduct the pull-out tests. They have high and low fabric densities. A yarn pull-out fixture was developed to test various fabric sample dimensions. Data generated from single and multiple yarn pull-out tests in various dimensions of Kevlar29® and Kevlar129® woven fabrics included fabric pull-out forces, yarn crimp extensions in the fabrics and fabric displacements. The regression model showed that yarn pull-out forces depend on fabric density, fabric sample dimensions and the number of pulled ends in the fabric. Yarn crimp extensions depend on the crimp ratios of the fabric and fabric density. Fabric displacements depend on fabric sample dimensions and the number of pulled yarns.     

Woven fabric reinforcement of cement matrix

The performance of woven fabric reinforced cement was studied to resolve the influence of the structure of the fabric on its reinforcing efficiency. Special fabrics were produced for this study in which the longitudinal (warp) yarn density was kept constant and the perpendicular (fill) yarn density was varied, in the range of 0 to 22 yarns per centimeter. Specimens for flexural and pull out testing were produced from the fabrics and crimped yarns untied from the fabric. Scanning electron microscope tests were carried out to resolve the microstructure of the composite, in particular at the yarn-matrix interface. The results point to three main conclusions: (1) Woven fabric structure improved the bonding capacity as compared to polyethylene monofilament fibers and cement matrix. (2) The crimped structure of the yarns in the fabric plays an important role in this improvement of the bond, providing mechanical anchoring between the woven fabric and the cement matrix. (3) There is an optimal density of fill yarn in the fabric, which causes the higher flexural strength within the tested densities and matrix formulations. This optimum is achieved in the fabric with five fill yarns per centimeter, and it may be accounted for by the fact that at higher density the matrix does not penetrate efficiently into the spaces in the fabric.     

Processing and Properties of Multifunctional Metal Composite Yarns and Woven Fabric

Multifunctional metal composite yarns made of crisscross-section polyester (CSP), antibacterial nylon (AN), and stainless steel wires (SSW) were manufactured using a hollow spindle spinning machine. The core yarn, the inner wrapped yarn, and the outer wrapped yarns were SSW, AN, and CSP, respectively. Process parameters such as wrapping material content obviously influenced the tenacity, elongation, and surface morphology properties of the manufactured multifunctional metal composite yarns. These yarns were then woven into fabrics using a rapier loom. Woven fabric WC-8 was evaluated in terms of its mechanical properties, antibacterial activity, and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE). Results showed that the use of SSW and AN in the metal composite yarns improved the antibacterial and EMSE of the woven fabric. Thus, these metal composite woven fabrics can be used in manufacturing personal protective clothing to protect humans from electromagnetic radiation and bacterial cross-infection.     

Effect of Frictions on the Ballistic Performance of a 3D Warp Interlock Fabric: Numerical Analysis

3D interlock woven fabrics are promising materials to replace the 2D structures in the field of ballistic protection. The structural complexity of this material caused many difficulties in numerical modeling. This paper presents a new tool that permits to generate a geometry model of any woven fabric, then, mesh this model in shell or solid elements, and apply the mechanical properties of yarns to them. The tool shows many advantages over existing software. It is very handy in use with an organization of the functions in menu and using a graphic interface. It can describe correctly the geometry of all textile woven fabrics. With this tool, the orientation of the local axes of finite elements following the yarn direction facilitates defining the yarn mechanical properties in a numerical model. This tool can be largely applied because it is compatible with popular finite element codes such as Abaqus, Ansys, Radioss etc. Thanks to this tool, a finite element model was carried out to describe a ballistic impact on a 3D warp interlock Kevlar KM2? fabric. This work focuses on studying the effect of friction onto the ballistic impact behavior of this textile interlock structure. Results showed that the friction among yarns affects considerably on the impact behavior of this fabric. The effect of the friction between projectile and yarn is less important. The friction plays an important role in keeping the fabric structural stability during the impact event. This phenomenon explained why the projectile is easier to penetrate this 3D warp interlock fabric in the no-friction case. This result also indicates that the ballistic performance of the interlock woven fabrics can be improved by using fibers with great friction coefficients.     

Highly aligned flax/polypropylene nonwoven preforms for thermoplastic composites

A major challenge for natural fibre composites is to achieve high mechanical performance at a competitive price. Composites constructed from unidirectional yarns and woven fabrics are known to perform significantly better than composites made from random nonwoven mats, but unidirectional yarns and fabrics are much more expensive to manufacture than random nonwoven mats. Here, we report on highly aligned natural fibre nonwoven mats that can be used as a replacement for unidirectional woven fabrics. A drawing operation is added to the conventional nonwoven process to improve fibre alignment in the nonwoven preforms and the final composites. The modified nonwoven manufacturing process is much simpler and cheaper than the unidirectional woven fabric process because of the elimination of expensive spinning and weaving operations. The composites fabricated from the highly aligned nonwoven mats showed similar mechanical strength as the composites made from unidirectional woven fabrics.     

Sheet hydroforming of woven FRT composites: non-orthogonal constitutive equation considering shear stiffness and undulation of woven structure

For the simulation of sheet hydroforming for the shaping of woven fabric reinforced thermo-plastic (FRT) composites, a non-orthogonal constitutive model was developed based on a homogenization method by considering the microstructures of composites including mechanical and structural properties of the fabric reinforcement. This model is modified to capture the wrinkling behavior due to the undulation geometry of the woven structure and shear stiffness at the crossover of the warp and weft yarns of woven FRT composites. The model was implemented in an explicit dynamic finite element code to analyze the forming behavior of woven FRT during the stamp thermo-hydroforming process. Wrinkling behavior was investigated based on the application of a counteracting fluid pressure and changes to the initial blank shape.     

Micro-CT analysis of internal structure of sheared textile composite reinforcement

Simple shear is a deformation mechanism typical for a woven fabric during draping. The mesoscopic internal structure of the fabric differs between the non-deformed state and a sheared state. This paper presents an analysis of the internal structure of woven fabrics in a sheared state based on micro-CT (X-ray micro computed tomography) imaging of the internal structure of woven fabrics in a sheared state. Two methods for the analysis of the fabric geometry are used: automatic mapping of the local fibre directions based of the micro-CT image analysis and manual measurements of the yarns cross section shape, size and middle line coordinate of yarns on the micro-CT images. Changes of the fibre orientations within the yarns and of the yarn geometrical parameters in a carbon fibre twill woven fabric before and after shear deformation are quantified.     

Determining Effective Thermal Conductivity of Fabrics by Using Fractal Method

In this article, a fractal effective thermal conductivity model for woven fabrics with multiple layers is developed. Structural models of yarn and plain woven fabric are derived based on the fractal characteristics of macro-pores (gap or channel) between the yarns and micro-pores inside the yarns. The fractal effective thermal conductivity model can be expressed as a function of the pore structure (fractal dimension) and architectural parameters of the woven fabric. Good agreement is found between the fractal model and the thermal conductivity measurements in the general porosity ranges. It is expected that the model will be helpful in the evaluation of thermal comfort for woven fabric in the whole range of porosity.     

Computational simulation of fabric armour subjected to ballistic impacts

In computational simulations of ballistic impacts on woven polymeric fabric armour, specialized fabric models are normally used. Attempts have also been made to use commercial finite element packages for such purposes. However, such attempts normally result in either overly simplified models or prohibitively detailed finite element discretization of the fabric to capture the unique properties of woven fabric. This paper presents an FE model of woven fabric that reflects the orthotropic properties of the fabric, the viscoelastic nature of the yarns, the crimping of the yarns, the sliding contact between yarns and yarn breakage using an assembly of viscoelastic bar elements. Excellent agreement between simulation and ballistic test data is obtained in terms of the deformation of the fabric during impact, residual velocity of the projectile and the energy absorbed by the fabric. This is achieved despite the modest number of degrees of freedom employed by the model.     

Research on the Planar Electrical Anisotropy of Conductive Woven Fabrics

The main aim of the research is to determine electrical anisotropy of woven fabrics to describe the multidirectional dependence of the electrical resistance of woven fabrics. The van der Pauw electrodes configuration is used to determine the electrical resistance. Scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) analysis is carried out to identify the real amount of conductive elements on a fabric surface as a result of yarns or fabric metallization and to explain the electrical conductivity of the textile materials. The planar electrical anisotropy of electroconductive woven fabrics is observed. The maximum and minimum values of resistances of woven fabric are connected with the weft/warp of which direction coincides with the direction of the longitudinal and transversal axes in the sample plane. SEM–EDS analysis confirms that the electrical conductivity of fabrics depends on the samples elemental composition and the amount of metals deposited on yarns or woven fabrics. It is observed that the sample metallization with thick coating gives a better solution than weaving textiles from coated yarns from the point of view of electrical properties.     

Effect of hybrid woven fabrics structure on their electrical properties

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of hybrid textile woven fabric structure on the electrical resistivity. Weave structure was varied by varying the weave pattern and the conductive yarn density in the woven fabrics. Electrical surface and volume resistivity were measured and compared to the fabric structural properties. Results showed that not only the conductive yarns percentage has an important effect on the electrical resistivity but also the weave structure. The most influencing structural parameter on surface resistivity was the woven fabric surface profile as it controls the contact quality between the conductive yarns and the measuring electrodes. A high surface resistivity was noticed when the contact quality was poor. When this contact quality was good, a linear correlation was found between surface electrical resistivity and the cover firmness factor, the apparent conductive fiber surface area as well as the conductive yarn floating length of the woven structures.     

Computational micro‐mechanical model of flexible woven fabric for finite element impact simulation

This work presents a computational material model of flexible woven fabric for finite element impact analysis and simulation. The model is implemented in the non‐linear dynamic explicit finite element code LSDYNA. The material model derivation utilizes the micro‐mechanical approach and the homogenization technique usually used in composite material models. The model accounts for reorientation of the yarns and the fabric architecture. The behaviour of the flexible fabric material is achieved by discounting the shear moduli of the material in free state, which allows the simulation of the trellis mechanism before packing the yarns. The material model is implemented into the LSDYNA code as a user defined material subroutine. The developed model and its implementation is validated using an experimental ballistic test on Kevlar woven fabric. The presented validation shows good agreement between the simulation utilizing the present material model and the experiment. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

具有保温性能的电纺LA/PET纳米纤维复合织物的制备与表征

本文制备了电纺月桂酸(LA)/聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(PET)纳米纤维/机织物的复合织物,并对其进行了表征.选用纯棉纱线、毛纱线、涤棉纱线、腈纶纱线和涤纶纱线分别作为经纬纱线,在实验室制备机织物小样,同时,通过静电纺丝法制备LA/PET纳米纤维,将LA包裹在PET基材之中.之后通过缝合的方式,将电纺LA/PET纳米纤维和机织物构造成三明治结构的复合织物.对纳米纤维的形貌和热性能进行了表征,并分别探究了LA/PET的质量比,机织物组织结构和机织物材料对复合织物保温性能的影响.结果表明:LA/PET纳米纤维呈圆柱形,具有光滑表面,LA和PET展现出良好的相容性,热焓值略低于理论值,但相变温度改变不大.复合织物的热保温性能测试表明,复合织物的保温性能都优于未加入相变材料的织物,同时展现出良好的热循环稳定性.     

Approximate analysis of forming forces in woven preforms

In this paper, an approximate analysis has been developed for rapid computation of forming forces. The orientation of yarns in a deformed woven fabric on a surface is obtained using a differential geometry based draping algorithm. The fabric is assumed to behave like a membrane with very small strain along the principal yarn directions. This assumption allows computation of the tension along the yarns and the pressure on the surface. This methodology can also identify areas of wrinkling, which is a function of shear stiffness and applied forces.     

Experimental identification of a lattice model for woven fabrics: Application to electronic textile

Lattice models employing trusses and beams are suitable to investigate the mechanical behavior of woven fabrics. The discrete features of the mesostructures of woven fabrics are naturally incorporated by the discrete elements of lattice models. In this paper, a lattice model for woven materials is adopted which consists of a network of trusses in warp and weft direction, which represent the response of the yarns. Additional diagonal trusses are included that provide a resistance against relative rotation of the yarns. The parameters of these families of discrete elements can be separately identified from tensile experiments in three in-plane directions which correspond with the orientations of the discrete elements. The lattice model and the identification approach are applied to electronic textile. This is a fabric in which conductive wires are incorporated to allow the embedment of electronic components such as light-emitting diodes. The model parameters are established based on tensile tests on samples of the electronic textile. A comparison between the experimental results of an out-of-plane punch test and the simulation results shows that the lattice model and its characterization procedure are accurate until extensive biaxial tensile deformation occurs.     

Effect of Mesoscale and Multiscale Modeling on the Performance of Kevlar Woven Fabric Subjected to Ballistic Impact: A Numerical Study

In this study, an optimal finite element model of Kevlar woven fabric that is more computational efficient compared with existing models was developed to simulate ballistic impact onto fabric. Kevlar woven fabric was modeled to yarn level architecture by using the hybrid elements analysis (HEA), which uses solid elements in modeling the yarns at the impact region and uses shell elements in modeling the yarns away from the impact region. Three HEA configurations were constructed, in which the solid element region was set as about one, two, and three times that of the projectile’s diameter with impact velocities of 30 m/s (non-perforation case) and 200 m/s (perforation case) to determine the optimal ratio between the solid element region and the shell element region. To further reduce computational time and to maintain the necessary accuracy, three multiscale models were presented also. These multiscale models combine the local region with the yarn level architecture by using the HEA approach and the global region with homogenous level architecture. The effect of the varying ratios of the local and global area on the ballistic performance of fabric was discussed. The deformation and damage mechanisms of fabric were analyzed and compared among numerical models. Simulation results indicate that the multiscale model based on HEA accurately reproduces the baseline results and obviously decreases computational time.     

Modelling deformation and damage characteristics of woven fabric under small projectile impact

Fabrics comprising highly oriented polymers possess high impact resistance and are often used in flexible armour applications. As these materials are viscoelastic, accurate modelling of their impact and perforation response requires formulation of constitutive equations representing such behaviour. This study incorporates viscoelasticity into the formulation of a model to analyse the impact of small spherical projectiles on plain-woven PPTA poly(p-phenylene-terephthalamide) fabric. The fabric is idealized as a network of viscoelastic fibre elements and a three-element viscoelastic constitutive model is used to represent polymer behaviour. Viscoelastic parameters are used to reflect intermolecular and intramolecular bond strengths as well as the static mechanical properties of fibres. Results of the theoretical analysis were compared with data from experimental tests on fabric specimens subjected to projectile impact ranging from 140 m/s to 420 m/s. Predictions of the threshold perforation velocity and energy absorbed by the fabric showed good agreement with experimental data. The proposed analysis is able to model deformation development and rupture of the fabric at the impact point. Fraying and unravelling of yarns are also accounted for. The study shows that a knowledge of static mechanical properties alone is insufficient and results in gross underestimation of impact resistance. An important parameter identified is the crimping of yarns. Yarns in woven fabric are not initially straightened out and hence part of the stretching in fabric is due to the straightening of yarns. The effect of crimping was found to be significant for high impact velocities.