NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF 3D-DISTANCE FABRICS

This paper presents the results of numerical simulations conducted on inflated panels made from 3D distance fabrics. 3D distance fabrics constitute a subset of 3D woven fabrics. If coated, the structure of the fabric permits the formation of a panel with parallel layers through the process of air inflation. The pressurised air creates a stiff, lightweight and fail-safe structure that can be utilised in a multitude of applications. The mechanical behaviour of these panels can be described analytically by appropriate mathematical theory; however, this approach remains limited to common loading cases. This paper presents computational method for numerical simulations of inflated panels, including determination of the deflections of skins and the distribution of stress. The simulations are based on the results of material property tests and a nonlinear geometric model. The results are then compared with the mathematical theory and experimental data. The results demonstrate the efficacy of this approach and illustrate its advantages. Furthermore, an illustrative example of a specific loading case is presented to demonstrate the versatility of this approach for predicting the behaviour and conducting structural analysis of loaded 3D fabric panels.