COMPUTATIONAL FABRIC MECHANICS - PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE-TRENDS

The application of advanced computer-aided design (CAD) systems in the textiles and clothing industries has great benefits: faster industry response to market demands, higher product quality, more variety and r educed production cost. The basis for the success of clothing CAD will be the ability of computers to simulate fabric behaviour. The develop ment of this capability is the task of computational fabric mechanics. This paper provides a brief exposition of the mechanical characterist ics and behaviour of fabrics, a review of existing studies in this com paratively new area and a perspective of its future developments and a pplications in textiles and clothing CAD.