P. Boisse et al., Analyses of fabric tensile behaviour: determination of the biaxial tension-strain surfaces and their use in forming simulations, COMPOS P A, 32(10), 2001, pp. 1395-1414
Citations number
70
Categorie Soggetti
Material Science & Engineering
Journal title
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
The forming of fibre fabric reinforcements without a matrix is possible bec
ause of their very specific mechanical behaviour. The lack of some rigiditi
es is due to possible motions between the fibres. For the fabrics used as r
einforcement in the R.T.M. process and composed of warp and weft yarns made
with untwisted fibres, the tension stiffness is very preponderant compared
to the others. The tensile behaviour of such a fabric is biaxial, i.e. the
tension-deformation states in warp or weft directions depend on the other
direction because of the interweaving. It is given by the knowledge of two
surfaces relating the warp and weft tensions to the two strains in these di
rections (or that of a single surface if the fabric is balanced). In the pr
esent paper, three complementary methods are investigated in order to deter
mine these surfaces. A biaxial tensile device on a cross-shaped specimen is
first used. 3D finite element simulations of the unit woven cell are then
presented. This mesoscopic study permits to understand some phenomena at th
e elementary woven cell level. Finally a simplified model, which is consist
ent with the geometry of the plain weave woven mesh is presented. The agree
ment of the two last methods with experimental results is shown. From these
tensile behaviour surfaces, a dynamic explicit approach for the simulation
s of a fabric sheet forming process is presented. The interests of the meth
od are both its good numerical efficiency, particularly due to the direct u
se of the biaxial tension surfaces, and its proximity with fabric physics.
(C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.