Investigating the challenges of measuring combination mechanics in textile fabrics

Measurements of the mechanical behavior of fabrics started during the Zeppelin era in the 1900s, where tensile, shear and biaxial behavior of the airship’s envelope fabric were measured. More measurement methods were developed later when there was a need to measure fabric handle and behavior. Although measurements of tensile, shear, buckling and bending have been established and are being used, their combinations, which represent a more realistic approach, are still being developed. However, these multi-axial measurements pose challenges not only in apparatus design but also in determining the measurement parameters. Here these challenges are being put forward and further research requirements are identified and discussed.