Warp-knitted textile mechanics for sportswear
Project description
This project investigates the mechanical behavior of warp-knitted textiles under realistic multiaxial loading relevant to sportswear and performance fabrics. We combine custom biaxial tensile testing with full-field digital image correlation to quantify stress–strain responses and spatial strain evolution along the course and wale directions. A lattice-based kinematics and hyperelastic constitutive framework is developed to link looped yarn architecture to macroscopic mechanical performance. The approach reveals how loop rotation and interlocked entanglement govern effective isotropy in biaxial stretching, despite the intrinsically anisotropic knitting pattern. The resulting models enable predictive design of fabric stiffness, stretchability, and directional support, providing a scientific basis for optimizing comfort, durability, and biomechanical performance in next-generation athletic apparel and wearable systems.
Visual materials
The figure presents an integrated experimental–theoretical framework for characterizing the multiaxial mechanics of warp-knitted textiles. A custom biaxial testing setup applies controlled loads along the course (x) and wale (y) directions, while stress–strain curves compare linear elastic and hyperelastic constitutive predictions with measured responses. Microscopic imaging of the inner-side fabric at maximum stretch reveals loop rotation and interlocked yarn entanglement as the dominant deformation mechanisms. Full-field digital image correlation maps the evolution of normal and shear strain components (εxx, εxy, εyy) from 10% to 40% stretch, demonstrating how localized architectural features give rise to an effectively isotropic macroscopic response under biaxial loading. Together, the panels link knit architecture, constitutive modeling, and spatially resolved strain fields into a unified description of fabric mechanics.