An improved model of rigid bodies for plain-weave fabrics based on the dynamics of multibody systems

This paper proposes an improved model of rigid bodies for plain-weave fabrics (IMRBF) by applying the dynamics of multibody systems theory. Firstly, considering that in the model of rigid bodies for plain-weave fabrics (MRBF), the rigid bodies of the fabric system are straight linear threads, in this paper, simplified Cardan angular coordinates composed of only two independent variables are adopted to describe the rotation of each body. Hence, the dimension of the equations of motion of the system is reduced, and the computational efficiency is improved greatly. Secondly, the point-point contact model is applied to simulate the contact action between yarns when the corresponding unit cell is under shearing deformation. This approach makes the IMRBF closer to the mechanical performance of actual fabrics and more broadly applicable. The model is validated by comparing our simulation results with those obtained from the Kawabata Evaluation System for Fabrics uniaxial tensile experiments and shearing experiments. Furthermore, by comparing the simulation results of the MRBF and the IMRBF, the improved computational efficiency and broader applicability of the IMRBF are demonstrated.