Determination of the Impact of Weft Density on Fabric Dynamic Thickness under Tensile Forces

Abstract

This paper deals with the impact of fabric density on fabric thickness change when samples are subjected to uniaxial tensile forces in the weft direction. During stretching, fabric thickness changes depending on the value of the tensile force. In an effort to be as precise as possible in measuring fabric dynamic thickness changes and the area on which the tensile force acts, a new measuring apparatus was designed and constructed. This measuring apparatus allows the simultaneous measurement of fabric dynamic thickness, related tensile axial forces and extension. Measurements of the fabric dynamic thickness, breaking force and breaking extension during the stretching process were carried out on five samples of cotton woven fabric with a constant warp density and different weft densities in the same structural plain weave. Based on the experimentally obtained values, the paper presents diagrams of the relationship between dynamic changes in fabric thickness in relation to the tensile force and extension. The research presented in this paper shows that an increase in the tensile force increases fabric thickness for all weft densities. Also, the out-of-plane woven fabric ratio was calculated as a relation between the relative thickness strain and relative axial strain. The characteristic curve shows this ratio.