Textile composites: modelling strategies

Textile materials are characterised by the distinct hierarchy of structure, which should be represented by a model of textile geometry and mechanical behaviour. In spite of a profound investigation of textile materials and a number of theoretical models existing in the textile literature for differe nt structures, a model covering all structures typical for composite reinfo rcements is not available. Hence the challenge addressed in the present wor k is to take full advantage of the hierarchical principle of textile modell ing, creating a truly integrated modelling and design tool for textile comp osites. It allows handling of complex textile structure computations in com puter time counted by minutes instead of hours of the same non-linear, non- conservative behaviour of yams in compression and bending, The architecture of the code implementing the model corresponds to the hierarchical structu re of textile materials. The model of the textile geometry serves as a base for meso-mechanical and permeability models for composites, which provide therefore simulation tools for analysis of composite processing and propert ies. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.