Simulation on the yarn-level and experimental validation of spacer fabrics compression by a rigid punch. Influence of seams in the spacer fabric

Spacer fabrics are 3D technical textiles, consisting of two parallel textile layers, which are connected by a series of monofils. In many industrial applications, such as the deployment as a distance holder, the compression properties of spacer fabrics play a crucial role. The article experimentally investigates the potential of influencing these compression properties by the incorporation of parallel seams into the fabric. Moreover, an efficient simulation-based finite-element approach is presented, that allows the a-priori estimation of effective compression resistance. For this purpose, a dimension reduction approach is employed, that reduces the arising highly complex multi-contact problems to simulations on the yarn and monofil centerlines. Input for the simulation are known mechanical properties of the yarns and the general lapping plan of the spacer fabric. The proposed model is applicable to the linear compression regime, i.e., before buckling and large bending arises. As a proof-of-concept, the compression experiment for a plane, circular punch on the spacer fabric with and without added seams is simulated and afterwards validated by experiments. The good agreement of the attained compression curves demonstrates the applicability of the numerical approach.