Objective In order to quickly estimate the ability of fabrics to resist bending deformation, this study established the co-facing bending model for plain woven fabrics to simulate the bending process of fabric using finite element analysis software, and to predict the bending properties of plain woven fabrics. Method Taking polyester plain woven fabric as an example, the geometric parameters of the fabric were observed by ultra-depth digital microscope and modeled by SolidWorks professional modeling software. The fabric bending system under the condition of splint holding was established in the finite element analysis software ABAQUS, and the yarn material properties were given according to the yarn performance parameters obtained by tensile test. Fabric bending was carried out in the state of moving plate extrusion. The simulation results were compared with the actual test results to verify the validity of the finite element simulation. Results A co-facing bending system for fabrics was established to analyze the fabric's bending performance. The system employed a fabric bending approach that closely resembled real bending conditions. It comprised two plates, with the upper plate as the movable plate capable of downward displacement and the lower plate as the fixed plate, connected to pressure sensors for detecting changes in fabric bending resistance. By applying continuous compressive force to the fabric, it was induced to undergo bending. Within this system, a co-facing bending model for fabrics was developed and subjected to finite element simulation analysis. Based on the simulation results, it was observed that as the movable plate approached the fixed plate, fabric stress was primarily concentrated in the middle section of the warp yarns, gradually propagating towards both ends with increasing bending amplitude. Furthermore, analysis of yarn stress indicated significant stress changes in the warp yarns during the initial stage of fabric deformation, while the weft yarns did not exhibit such changes. Other parameters remain unchanged, when the elastic modulus of the yarn was increased from 200 to 250 MPa, and the maximum bending force was increased from 76. 18 to 136.78 cN, indicating that the bending modulus of the fabric is positively affected by the elastic modulus of the yarn. Under the same conditions, the same facing bending test of the designed fabric was carried out. Comparing the simulation results with the test results, it was observed that during the bending process, the fabric exhibited consistent morphological variations, and both the bending resistance-displacement curves exhibited a similar increasing trend. When the displacement is before 8 mm, the two are approximately coincident, and after 8 mm, the two gradually differ. When the displacement is 8-12 mm, the simulated curve is slightly higher than the simulation curve and the test curve, and the correlation coefficient between the test displacement and the simulated bending force is 0. 874, and the correlation between the simulated displacement and the test bending force is 0. 840. Both of them were significantly correlated at 0. 01 level. Conclusion To better evaluate the fabric' s resistance to bending deformation, a co-facing bending configuration that closely resembled the realistic daily bending morphology of fabrics was adopted. A three-dimensional geometric model of a polyester plain weave fabric was created using SolidWorks modeling software. Finite element analysis software ABAQUS was employed to perform simulation analysis. A comparison between the bending resistance-displacement curves obtained from finite element simulation and experimental testing revealed a similar increasing trend. Up to a displacement of 6 mm, the curves were practically coincident, while from 6 to 12 mm, the simulated curve slightly exceeded the experimental curve, but the maximum bending resistance remained nearly identical. Additionally, the two curves exhibited significant correlation at the 0.01 level. These findings confirmed the feasibility of finite element simulation and provided a theoretical basis for the effectiveness of finite element analysis in predicting fabric bending performance. In future research, various fabrics with different raw materials and structural parameters can be selected for simulation testing to further investigate their bending properties. © 2024 China Textile Engineering Society. All rights reserved.
