Finite element modelling the mechanical performance of pressure garments produced from elastic weft knitted fabrics

Compression garments mainly produced from elastic knitted fabrics have attracted many attentions due to their medical care performances. Components' characteristics of the pressure garments such as yarn and fabric structure affect significantly the pressure applied on the human body. In this paper, it is aimed to simulate the effect of yarn's mechanical properties as well as fabric structure on mechanical performance of the compression garment. For this purpose, a precise geometrical model for fabric structure is needed by which the pressure applied to the body could be predicted. Accordingly, double jersey knitted fabrics containing elastane weft yarns were produced on an electronic flat knitting machine and the fabric tensile properties were measured in course direction. Using equations governing the fabric structural unit-cell, a real geometric model was created in a finite element software environment. Considering the linear visco-elastic properties for elastane weft yarn, stress-strain curve was extracted. The results obtained from numerical simulation were compared with the experimental data in order to validate the proposed geometrical model. The findings demonstrate a good agreement between experimental and simulation results.