Evaluation of the effect of structural parameters on the compression behaviour of woven spacer fabrics

In this study, six groups of woven spacer fabrics with different structural parameters such as the spacer yarn pattern (V and W pattern) and spacer yarn density (denting pattern) were produced, and their compressional behaviour was investigated. According to the experimental results, the V-pattern spacer fabrics revealed better compressional resistance compared to the W-pattern spacer fabrics. Besides, it was observed that the spacer fabrics produced with lower spacer yarn density, were more susceptible to compressional forces. Statistical analysis of results demonstrated that all compressional parameters, except relative compressibility and thickness recovery, were affected by the spacer yarn pattern and density. Finally, the compressional behaviour of woven spacer fabric was correlated by three viscoelastic models (Kelvin model, Maxwell model, and three-component model with a nonlinear spring) and also the Van Wyk Theory. The results of curve fitting exhibited that the three-component model with nonlinear spring well fitted the experimental data.