An Analysis of the Mechanical Behavior of Triaxial Fabrics and the Equivalency of Conventional Fabrics

The results are presented of an earlier analysis of a triaxial fabric by extension of the classical results of Peirce and Grosberg. Using the geometrical model of this earlier work, a theoretical analysis is presented in which the work necessary to deform the fabric is approximated by the change in strain energy in the constituent threads. The relationship between triaxial and conventional fabrics is discussed in the context of equivalency. The relationships among triaxial, plain, and leno fabrics are discussed. Using a specially constructed biaxial test fixture, fabric moduli predicted in earlier work are experimentally verified. In addition, equivalent weight conventional fabrics, both plain and leno, are compared with a triaxial fabric through ball burst and tear testing. The study shows that, although both conventional fabrics can be thought of as equivalent to the triaxial fabric, in reality no conventional equivalent exists.