Finite Element Modelling of the Warp Knitted Structure

The finite element modelling of the Charmeuse warp knitted fabrics is the main subject of this paper. The proposed model consists of a three-dimensional representation of the warp knitted fabric microstructure and a mechanical analysis of the defined unit cell. An iterative calculation procedure was used for the definition of the geometrical representation of the structure. The parametric modelling is based on the main structural parameters: yarn crosssection, warp density, course density, and yarn consumption of the front and the back bar. The flattening of the yarn cross-section has been introduced in the undeformed state of the model for the realistic approach of the authentic situation. The Finite Element Method (FEM) with contact analysis was implemented for a mechanical analysis of the multi-body structural unit. The appropriate contact algorithm was defined for fast convergence during the solution. Although the complexity of the unit cell was high, the modelling was possible and it can become a tool for the mechanical analysis of warp knitted fabrics.