Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018

Creativity in Structural Design

July 16-20, 2018, MIT, Boston, USA
Caitlin Mueller, Sigrid Adriaenssens (eds.)

Identification of three-dimensional mechanical performance of

high-performance fabrics
Jianhui HU*, Wujun CHEN, Yipo LI, Bing Zhao, Chengjun GAO, Taibai SHI, Deqing YANGa,b
*
Space Structures Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
a
State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, Shanghai 200240, China
b
Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Ship and Deep-Sea Exploration, Shanghai 200240, China
E-mail address of the corresponding author: jtuhjh@gmail.com

Abstract
Utilizing fabrics as basic materials for stratospheric structures has attracted considerable attention
considering strength-to-weight ratio and environmental stability. The load curtain of the catenary system
is a three-dimensional component; corresponding mechanical properties cannot be identified with
uniaxial and biaxial machines. In this paper, mechanical performance of a three-dimensional load curtain
component was preliminarily investigated with a self-developed triaxial tensile machine.
It is obtained that the mechanical characteristics in the 1st cycle distinctly differed from those in
subsequent cycles for three-dimensional membrane specimens. The force reduction in the 1st cycle was
partially due to plastic deformation during the cyclic process. Moreover, the force differences between
X+ and X- directions were associated with the stiffness difference in warp and weft directions. The stress
states in subsequent loading cycles were approximately elastic because of the deletion of plastic
deformation. Therefore, the cyclic experiment was justified to be suitable for identifying stable
mechanical properties.
Keywords: inflated membrane structures, mechanical properties, three-dimensional membrane component

1. Introduction
Utilizing high-performance materials for membrane structures has gained the popularity in recent
decades due to related high strength-to-weight ratio and good environmental stability [1]. The membrane
structures are suitable candidates for large-span stadium and stratospheric platforms. In general, basic
mechanical properties are essential to analyze structural behavior under possible external conditions [2].
In this case, uniaxial monotonic and cyclic tests are used for characterizing uniaxial strength, breaking
elongation and stable elastic modulus [3]. Moreover, it is validated that structural behavior determined
with uniaxial cyclic properties and biaxial properties are relatively better than those calculated with
uniaxial monotonic properties [4, 5].
Generally, uniaxial and biaxial mechanical properties are indispensable for membrane stadiums and
airport terminals [6]. As for stratospheric platforms [7], the load curtain of the catenary system is a
typical three-dimensional membrane component where the car payload is transferred by the suspension
cables to the load curtain and then distributed to the structural surface [8], see Fig. 1. Therefore, the
complex stress state under external loads and periodic pressure fluctuation needs to be assessed with
triaxial tests. After a careful survey of the literature, three-dimensional mechanical performance has not
been well-addressed, limiting the understanding of structural behavior and corresponding utilizations.
In this paper, the identification of mechanical performance of three-dimensional membrane components
is performed considering different angle conditions.
2. Experiments
2.1 General descriptions
The basic principle of operating the triaxial machine is the independent control of three directions from
0o to 90o. The triaxial tensile machine mainly incorporates an in-plane biaxial tensile machine and an
out-of-plane machine where the testing rig of the biaxial machine is used to fix hydraulic press cylinders,
Copyright © 2018 by Jianhui Hu, Wujun Chen, Yipo Li, Bing Zhao, Chengjun Gao, Taibai Shi, Deqing Yang
Published by the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) with permission.
 Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018
Creativity in Structural Design
position specimens and work as the basis for the out-of-plane machine.The five directions are named as
X+/X-, Y+/Y- and Z+, respectively.

Fig. 1 Illustration of the load curtain of the catenary system

2.2 Materials and specimen
The PVC-coated polyester fabric material was used in this study; it was produced in Serge Ferrari,
France. The specific three-dimensional specimen was made with cutting and welding. In this paper, the
in-plane angle was the angle with respect to the warp direction to the X direction. The α and β were used
to represent in-plane and out-of-plane angles for concise descriptions. To investigate the effects of in-
plane angles on mechanical performance, typical in-plane angles of 0o, 45o and 90o were chosen to
identify property fluctuations and evaluate corresponding machine performance. In addition,
experimental conditions include room temperature of 24±1 oC, relative humidity of around 65% and
data frequency of 15Hz.
3. Results and discussion
Based on cyclic experimental results as a function of in-plane angles, this section aimed to understand
and qualify triaxial mechanical performance of fabric materials since triaxial mechanical properties are
not available.
In this paper, the out-of-plane angle of β=90o was specified. According to the force-time curves from
Fig. 2-4, a small force difference between X+ and X- was obtained. The main reasons for force difference
are that the first loading was force-controlled until a specific stress. Then, the X and Y loads were kept
stable while loading Z direction. During this period, the welding part could detach asymmetrical,
resulting in asymmetrical forces between X+ and X-. Moreover, the deviations of the specimen
dimension and fabrication also contributed to the asymmetrical forces.
The force-force curves in Fig. 2-4 also show that small fluctuations and approximately stable
characteristics were observed in the 1st and subsequent cycles. The possible reason for explaining these
observations is that material nonlinearity was less after the first cycle because of the deletion of plastic
deformation.
4 5000 1st Cycle 5000 5th Cycle
Force / kN

X+
X-
2
4000 4000
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Force/ N

Time/ s
Force/ N

4 3000 3000
Y+
Force / kN

Y-
2
2000 2000
0 x+ x+
2
0 100 200
Time/ s
300 400 500
x- x-
1000
Z 1000 y+ y+
Force / kN

1 y- y-
0 0
0 0 500 1000 1500 2000 0 500 1000 1500 2000
0 100 200
Time/ s
300 400 500
z force/N z force/N

Fig. 2 Force-time curves and force-force curves at α=0o and β=90o

2
 Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018
Creativity in Structural Design
4 X+
Force / kN

X- 5000 1st Cycle

5000 5th Cycle
2

0 4000 4000
0 100 200 300 400 500
Time/ s
4

Force/ N

Force/ N
Force / kN

Y+ 3000 3000
Y-
2

2000 2000
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 x+ x+
2
Time/ s
x- x-
1000
y+ 1000 y+
Force / kN

Z
1
y- y-
0
0 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 0 500 1000 1500 2000
Time/ s
z force/N z force/N

Fig. 3 Force-time curves and force-force curves at α=45o and β=90o

4
5000 1st Cycle 5000
X+ 5th Cycle
Force/ kN

X-
2
4000 4000
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Force / N

4
Time / s 3000 3000

Force/ N
Y+
Force/ kN

Y-
2
2000 2000
x+ x+
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 x- x-
2 1000
Time / s
y+ 1000 y+
Force/ kN

1
Z y- y-
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 0
500 1000 1500
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 z force/N z force/N
Time / s

Fig. 4 Force-time curves and force-force curves at α=90o and β=90o

Understanding the correlation between forces in X/Y directions and Z direction is useful to evaluate
mechanical performance. It is found from Fig. 2-4 that a force difference of 800 N was found between
the unloading force and initial loading force in the 1st cycle, which could be caused by the plastic
deformation during the loading/unloading process. Moreover, good linearity correlation between forces
in X/Y direction and forces in Z direction was obtained in the subsequent cycles, suggesting that stress
state of the fabric material was approximately elastic. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that
linearity enhancement of three-dimensional membrane specimens was justified with cyclic experiments.
In addition, the forces in X direction were relatively larger than those in Y direction due to the stiffness
difference.
4. Conclusions
This paper focused on the evaluation of mechanical properties of a three-dimensional load curtain
component with a self-developed triaxial tensile machine. It is obtained that the mechanical
characteristics in the 1st cycle distinctly differed from those in subsequent cycles for three-dimensional
membrane specimens. The force reduction in the 1st cycle was partially due to plastic deformation
during the cyclic process. Moreover, the force differences between X+ and X- directions were associated
with the stiffness difference in warp and weft directions. The stress states in subsequent loading cycles
were approximately elastic because of the deletion of plastic deformation. Therefore, the cyclic
experiment was justified to be suitable for identifying stable mechanical properties.

References
[1] R. Houtman, Materials used for architectural fabric structures, in Fabric Structures in Architecture,
2015, pp. 101-121.
[2] B. Bridgens, M. Birchall, Form and function: The significance of material properties in the design
of tensile fabric structures, Engineering Structures, 44 (2012) 1-12.
[3] J. Hu, C. Gao, S. He, W. Chen, Y. Li, B. Zhao, T. Shi, D. Yang, Effects of on-axis and off-axis tension
on uniaxial mechanical properties of plain woven fabrics for inflated structures, Composite Structures,
171 (2017) 92-99.
[4] J. Uhlemann, N. Stranghöner, Refined biaxial test procedures for the determination of design elastic
constants of architectural fabrics, Procedia Engineering, 155 (2016) 211-219.
[5] T. Shi, W. Chen, C. Gao, J. Hu, Z. Qiu, Comparison of constant-force increment and constant-rate
loading protocols in biaxial tests of coated fabrics, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 29 (2017)
04017220.

3
 Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018
Creativity in Structural Design
[6] N. Stranghöner, J. Uhlemann, F. Bilginoglu, K.-U. Bletzinger, H. Bögner-Balz, E. Corne, N. Gibson,
P. Gosling, R. Houtman, J. Llorens, Prospect for european guidance for the structural design of tensile
membrane structures. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, 1-278, (2016).
[7] W. Chen, S. Dong, Research and development of airship and high altitude long endurance platform
in Germany (Europe), Spatial Structures, 4 (12) (2006) 3-7.
[8] J. Hankinson, J. Bewley, R. Hankinson, G. Spyrou, Airship gondola suspension system and method
of making same, in Google Patents, 2001.