Numerical Studies on Elastic Properties and Failure Mechanisms of Knit Fabric Composites

Abstract

This paper describes elastic behavior and failure mechanisms of plain-knit fabric composites. A single-ply glass-fiber knit fabric impregnated with epoxy resin was used to fabricate composite specimens. Tensile tests were then carried out in two directions: the wale and the course directions of the fabric. During the test, the fracture behavior of the composite specimen was identified by a video camera which caught the loop images from the beginning to their failure. Tensile properties were also experimentally determined. Furthermore, a three-dimensional (3-D) finite element model of a knitted loop was proposed for prediction of tensile moduli as well as failure mechanisms of the plain-knit fabric composite. The validation of the loop model was estimated by comparison of the experimental results with the predicted ones.