Analyzing Fabric Buckling Based on Nonlinear Bending Properties

A fabric is a flexible material that it is highly affected by its own weight, which causes large deflections. The relationship between the bending moment and the curvature is nonlinear. This study presents a model for fabric buckling by considering the flexibility of the fabric as well as its nonlinearity in bending. The bending rigidity of the fabric is considered to be a function of its curvature to take into account the fabric's nonlinear bending properties. Based on Timoshenko's elastica theory and the Bernoulli-Euler theorem, geometric nonlinearity is also taken into account. Kawabata pure bending test results are applied to the governing equation. The values from the model. are compared with the experimental data. The results show a clear distinction from the linear model, where the nonlinear method coincides well with the experimental values. From data evaluated by the numerical analysis method, the critical buckling load is calculated.