STRUCTURAL-ANALYSIS OF A 2-DIMENSIONAL BRAIDED FABRIC

Two-dimensional-braid geometry is analyzed. The cover factor of a fabr ic braided on a particular braider depends on three variables: braid a ngle, helical length, and braid diameter; however, only two of the thr ee are independent because of an equation of constraint. The cover fac tor of an existing braid is a function of braid angle and diameter and maintains a constant helical length between its tensile and compressi ve jammed states. A stable jammed state with maximum crimp is found to exist when the braid angle is 45 degrees and the helical length is a minimum. When the braid diameter is held constant by braiding on a con stant-diameter mandrel, the cover factor is increased by decreasing th e helical length or increasing the braid angle. The cover factor is di rectly related to the fabric width as a single independent variable. W hen the yam cannot be considered as a flat strip hut must instead be c onsidered to have a circular cross-section, the maximum cover factor i n the jammed state is shown to be 0.82.