A new modeling technique has been introduced to predict the large deformation of flexible composites reinforced by plain-weave fabrics under biaxial loading. The only input required for calculations are the mechanical properties of the constituents and the fabric geometry. The constitutive equations are derived based on a strain energy approach, where fiber and matrix are accounted separately and the curved yarns are assumed to be in sinusoidal shape. Both material and geometrical nonlinearities are considered in the formulation. Good agreement has been found between predictions and experiments under various biaxial loading.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Topics:
Composite materials, Elasticity, Textiles, Constitutive equations, Deformation, Fibers, Geometry, Mechanical properties, Modeling, Shapes, Yarns
1.
Chou, T. W., 1992, Microstructural Design of Fiber Composites, Cambridge University Press, New York.
2.
Clark, S. K., 1980, “The Role of Textiles in Pneumatic Tires,” Mechanics of Flexible Fiber Assembles, J. W. S. Hearle, J. J. Thwaites, and J. Amirbayat, eds., Sijthoff and Noordhoff, The Netherlands.
3.
Humphrey
J. D.
, and
Yin
F. C. P.
,
1987
, “
On Constitutive Relations and Finite Deformations of Passive Cardiac Tissue: I. A Pseudostrain-Energy Function
,”
ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
, Vol.
109
, pp.
298
–
304
.
4.
Kawabata, S., 1988, “Nonlinear Mechanics of Woven and Knitted Materials,” Textile Structural Composites, edited by T. W. Chou and F. K. Ko, eds., Elsevier, Amsterdam.
5.
Ko, F. K., Pasture, C. M., Lei, C., and Whyte, D. W., 1987, “A Fabric Geometry Model for 3-D Braid Reinforced FP/AI-Li Composites,” 1987 International SAMPE Metals Conference, NJ.
6.
Luo
S. Y.
, and
Chou
T. W.
,
1988
, “
Finite Deformation and Nonlinear Elastic Behavior of Flexible Composites
,”
ASME JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS
, Vol.
55
, pp.
149
–
155
.
7.
Luo
S. Y.
, and
Chou
T. W.
,
1990
, “
Finite Deformation of Composites
,”
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London
, Vol.
A429
, pp.
569
–
586
.
8.
Luo, S. Y., and Taban, F., 1999, “Characterization of Flexible Fabric Composites Through a Uni-axial Test,” under review.
9.
Luo, S. Y., and Mitra, A., 1995, “An Experimental Study of Biaxial Behavior of Flexible Fabric Composite,” Innovative Processing and Characterization of Composite Material, R. F. Gibson, T. W. Chou, and P. K. Raju, eds., ASME, New York, pp. 317–328.
10.
Mitra, A., 1995, “Mechanical Behavior of Flexible Fabric Composite,” Ph.D. dissertation, University of Nevada, Reno, NV.
11.
Rivlin, R. S., 1970, Centro Internazionale Matematico Estivo (Ciclo, II and R. S. Rivlin eds., Edizioni Cremonese, Roma.
12.
Stubbs, N., 1988, “Elastic and Inelastic Response of Coated Fabrics to Arbitrary Loading Paths,” Textile Structural Composites, T. W. Chou and F. K. Ko, eds. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
13.
Testa
B.
, and
Yu
L. M.
,
1987
, “
Stress-Strain Relation for Coated Fabrics
,”
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
, Vol.
113
, No.
11
, pp.
1631
–
1646
.
14.
Timoshenko, S. P, and Woinowsky-Krieger, S., 1959, Theory of Plates and Shells, McGraw-Hill, New York.
This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright © 1999
 by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.