Mechanical Behavior of Fabrics

Abstract

The bending length c is a characteristic property of a fabric and is dependent upon the energy required to produce a given bending deformation under its own weight. The energy α required to produce a definite bending deformation in a one-inch-wide strip of fabric in a plate buckling experiment is also characteristic of it. It is shown that the values of c and α for a number of fabrics are empirically related, although it has not been possible to develop a functional relationship from the theory of mechanics. The rela tionship is dependent upon the orientation of the yarns to the plane of the bending. When the yarns are parallel to the plane of bending, c ² = 0.057 α w and when they are at 45° to the plane, c ² = 0.044 α w + 1.08, where w is the weight of the fabric per unit area.