Modeling and optimizing the frictional behavior of woven fabrics in climatic conditions using response surface methodology

Frictional characteristics of woven fabrics can determine smoothness and softness values of textiles. In this paper, we have studied the influence of factors such as temperature, relative humidity, fabric structure, type of fiber material, and direction of motion on roughness properties of fabric surface using response surface method (RSM). For this purpose, woven fabrics with plain, rib2/2, twill2/2, twill1/3, twill3/1, twill1/7, and twill7/1 were produced with polyester warp yarn and two different weft yarns (cotton and polyester). Then, a statistical model (RSM) was used for the experimental plan (with these variables) to determine the runs of experiment (or selected points). Next, the frictional forces measurement was carried out on the fabrics in those directions. The experimental results showed that fabric-to-fabric friction (static frictional resistance, kinetic frictional resistance, and smoothness of woven fabrics) is highly sensitive to factors like relative humidity, fabric structure, type of fiber material, and direction of motion while temperature factor (in the range 0–50°C) has no sensitive effect on frictional parameters.