Journal of Materials Science

, Volume 49, Issue 11, pp 4081–4092 | Cite as

Large deformation of thermally bonded random fibrous networks: microstructural changes and damage

  • Farukh Farukh
  • Emrah Demirci
  • Memiş Acar
  • Behnam Pourdeyhimi
  • Vadim V. Silberschmidt
Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

A mechanical behaviour of random fibrous networks is predominantly governed by their microstructure. This study examines the effect of microstructure on macroscopic deformation and failure behaviour of random fibrous networks and its practical implication for optimisation of its structure by using finite-element simulations. A subroutine-based parametric modelling approach—a tool to develop and characterise random fibrous networks—is also presented. Here, a thermally bonded polypropylene nonwoven fabric is used as a model system. Its microstructure is incorporated into the model by explicit introduction of fibres according to their orientation distribution in the fabric. The model accounts for main deformation and damage mechanisms experimentally observed and provides the meso- and macro-level responses of the fabric. The suggested microstructure-based approach identifies and quantifies the spread of stresses and strains in fibres of the network as well as its structural evolution during deformation and damage. Its simulations also predict a continuous shift in the distribution of stresses due to structural evolution and progressive failure of fibres.

Keywords

Orientation Distribution Function Load Bearing Progressive Failure Damage Behaviour Damage Initiation 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgements

We greatly acknowledge support by the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Centre of North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA. FiberVisions®, USA, generously provided the material for this study.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Farukh Farukh
    • 1
  • Emrah Demirci
    • 1
  • Memiş Acar
    • 1
  • Behnam Pourdeyhimi
    • 2
  • Vadim V. Silberschmidt
    • 1
  1. 1.Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing EngineeringLoughborough UniversityLoughboroughUK
  2. 2.Nonwovens Cooperative Research CenterNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighUSA

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