Meso-scale finite element modeling of triaxial woven fabrics for composite in-plane reinforcement properties

Abstract

Meso-scale finite element modeling of textiles and textile composites at the scale of the unit cell of the textile structure is a powerful tool for the homogenization of mechanical properties and the study of stress–strain fields inside the unit cell. This paper discusses modeling and the issues involved in building finite element models of triaxial woven structures (geometry, meshing, boundary conditions), interpretation of the results, and verification of the models. The idealized unit cell structure is analyzed for axial and planar deformations. The prediction is in good agreement with actual experimental results for the parent fabrics. In-plane shear resistance is very high for these structures for application to thin composites. The yarn geometry and structural parameters of the reinforcement material each need precise calculation in order to predict the performance of composite materials in engineering applications.