Journal of Textile Research ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (09): 143-153.doi: 10.13475/j.fzxb.20240805801

• Textile Engineering • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Model construction and deformation behavior of multilayer biaxial weft knitted fabrics based on virtual fiber model under off-axis tension

ZHANG Xin1, ZHOU Kanghui1, JIANG Qian1,2, WU Liwei1,2()   

  1. 1. School of Textile Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
    2. Key Laboratory of Advanced Textile Composite Materials of Ministry of Education, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
  • Received:2024-08-30 Revised:2025-05-20 Online:2025-09-15 Published:2025-11-12
  • Contact: WU Liwei E-mail:wuliwei@tiangong.edu.cn

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Abstract:

Objective The multilayer biaxial weft knitted fabric is a specially structured textile characterized by parallel-aligned straight yarns (axial yarns) in both warp and weft directions, which are bound and fixed by knitted loop structures to form a three-dimensional knitted fabric. By employing high-performance yarns as axial yarns in both directions, this structure achieves enhanced stability and directional properties, making it particularly suitable for applications such as composite reinforcements, industrial textiles, and protective clothing. This study investigates the in-plane deformation characteristics and mechanical behavior of the multilayer biaxial weft knitted fabric using finite element methods, based on its unique structural features.

Method In finite element simulation, the advantages of the virtual fiber model over the physical model lie in its ability to establish a high-precision model that is more consistent with real fabrics, and to show the tightness and interlacing deformation characteristics of real fabrics. Therefore, with reference to the spatial positions of knitting loops and axial yarns in the multilayer biaxial weft knitted fabric, a theoretical geometric model was first constructed. Through a pre-tightening program, preprocessing was performed on the theoretical geometric model to achieve the tight state of knitting loops against axial yarns in real fabrics, and regression equations were adopted to ensure the geometric consistency between the fabric model and the real fabric. Subsequently, off-axis tension simulation was carried out on the above-mentioned high-precision model, and the deformation behavior of the model was compared and analyzed with the morphology, loop inclination angle, and yarn cross-sectional deformation of the real fabric, aiming at more accurately simulating the in-plane deformation of real fabrics.

Results The entire fabric model is built by adopting the virtual fiber method including two sets of yarn systems. A pre-tightening processing is implemented on the fabric models containing 10, 18 and 36 bundled yarns, respectively. By considering the correlation between the simulated and real coil path and comparing it with the morphology of the real fabric, it is concluded that when the tightening degree is 20%, the fabric model with 36 bundled yarns is consistent to the real fabric. After calculating the correlation coefficient, it is found that the correlation coefficient between the simulated and real bundled yarn coil trajectories approaches 0.9.The numerical simulation of off-axis tension is conducted on the fabric model that most closely approximates the real effect. Simultaneously, it is compared with the morphology of the real fabric after tigntening. As a result, it can be verified that the approach of constructing a fabric model can effectively represent the performance of the real fabric. By comparing the overall deformation as well as the deformation at different stages, it is discovered that the deformation behavior of the fabric model is similar to that of the real fabric, with the difference in the coil inclination angles between the two at different stages within 4°. Through analyzing the cross-sectional deformation situations of individual bundled yarn coils and axial yarns, it is found that the region with the largest deformation of the coil is located where the coils are interlaced and intertwined with each other. This deformation behavior is transmitted to the coil pillars and coil loops, which is in line with the analysis of the stress situation of the coils in the knitted fabric coil structure. The cross-sectional deformation degree of the coil pillars is greater than that of the coil loops. Under a 20% tightening degree, the ratio of the short axis to the long axis is lower than 0.6. The axial yarns transform from a rectangular cross-section to a runway shape and an elliptical shape.

Conclusion The method of constructing virtual fiber models can effectively simulate the deformation behavior of real fabrics when bearing loads. By determining a certain quantity of virtual fiber, it is possible to approach more closely to the pre-tightening state of the fabric under actual conditions and the morphological changes after tightening. The fabric model can also reflect the squeezing deformation of the internal fibers within the yarns when under stress. This fully validates the effectiveness and feasibility of the multilayer biaxial weft knitted fabric model. This method also provides new ideas for model construction of other fabric structures.

Key words: virtual fiber, biaxial weft knitted fabric, off-axis tension, numerical simulation, deformation behavior

CLC Number: 

  • TB332

Fig.1

Schematic structure diagram of multilayer biaxial weft knitted fabric. (a) Front view; (b)Side view"

Tab.1

Fabric geometric parameters"

纱线
类型		 线密度 经纬密/
(根·(10 cm)-1)		 纱线间距/
mm		 厚度/
mm
经纱 150.0tex×7 55 2.5 2
纬纱 150.0tex×4 51 2.3 1
捆绑纱 17.5tex×1 — — —

Fig.2

Schematic diagram of bundled yarn structure. (a) Bundled yarn virtual fiber coil structure model; (b) Different perspectives of ideal yarn interlooping model"

Fig.3

Axial yarn model"

Fig.4

Pre-tightening schematic diagrams. (a) Fabric pre-tightening; (b) Bundled yarn pre-tightening"

Fig.5

Schematic diagram of off-axis tensile of fabric model"

Fig.6

Warp yarn coil physical (a) and simulated pictures (b)"

Fig.7

Coil contours of different numbers of turns under 20% tightening degree.(a) 10 turns; (b) 18 turns; (c) 36 turns"

Fig.8

Coil contours with different tightening degrees at 36 turns"

Fig.9

Comparison between real yarn path and coil model before and after tightening from different perspectives. (a) Side view; (b) Top view"

Fig.10

Comparison between physical object (a) and simulation diagram (b) of fabric axial yarn after tightening"

Fig.11

Effect diagrams of axial yarn deformation. (a) Warp yarn; (b) Weft yarn"

Fig.12

Comparison between physical model and virtual fiber model. (a) Physical model; (b) Virtual fiber models; (c) Numbers of meshes and calculation time durations"

Fig.13

Morphology diagrams of fabric after stretching. (a) Fabric model; (b) Real fabric"

Fig.14

Comparison of deformation in tensile center area between model and real fabric, as well as comparison of coil inclination degrees"

Fig.15

Simulation results of yarn cross-section.(a) Deformation of yarn cross-section; (b) Schematic diagram of virtual fiber yarn cross-section; (c) Deformation ratio of coil cross-section"

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