3D knitted technical textiles are spreading into industrial applications, since their geometric, structural, and functional performance can be tailored and optimized on the fibre-, yarn-, and fabric levels by customising yarn materials, knit patterns, and geometric shapes. The ability to simulate their complex mechanical behaviour is thus an essential ingredient in the development of a digital workflow for the optimal design and manufacture of 3D knitted textiles.

A multiscale modelling and simulation framework was developed to predict the mechanical behaviour of knitted fabric from yarn to fabric scale. The novel computational approach combines efficient meso-scale simulation using 3D beam modelling of yarns with numerical homogenization and nonlinear orthotropic response surface constitutive modelling on the macro-scale. The modelled results are compared against experimental data of single jersey knits with varying stitch densities that are subject to different tensile loading scenarios.

Further reading:
Do, H., Tan, Y.Y., Ramos, N., Kiendl, J. and Weeger, O. (2020). Nonlinear Isogeometric Multiscale Simulation for Design and Fabrication of Functionally Graded Knitted Textiles. Composites Part B [online]. 202. Available from: <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108416>.

Dinh, T.D., Weeger, O., Kaijima, S. and Yeung, S-K. (2018). Prediction of mechanical properties of knitted fabrics under tensile and shear loading: Mesoscale analysis using representative unit cells and its validation. Composites Part B [online]. 148, p.81-92. Available from: <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2018.04.052>.

Weeger, O., Sakhaei, A.H., Tan, Y.Y., Quek, Y.H., Lee, T.L., Yeung, S-K., Kaijima, S. and Dunn, M.L. (2018). Nonlinear Multi-Scale Modelling, Simulation and Validation of 3D Knitted Textiles. Applied Composite Materials [online]. 25, p.797-810. Available from: <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-018-9702-4>.