ABSTRACT
This study addresses the analysis of tensile strength parameters of the technical fabric VALMEX, which is composed of two orthogonal polyester thread families (named the warp and fill) and both sides PVC coated. The material was firstly subjected to 48-hour biaxial creep loading with the equal stress level in both orthogonal directions of the fabric. The stress levels were established as follows: 4.6 kN/m, 10.4 kN/m, 16.4 kN/m, 22.4 kN/m, 28.4 kN/m, 34.4 kN/m. The samples after creep loading were left unloaded in laboratory conditions for the subsequent 6 months and then subjected to biaxial tension till rupture. For all tests, the basic tensile properties of the fabric have been identified for the warp and weft directions separately. The evolution of parameters demonstrates how the level of biaxial material prestressing affects tensile strength properties of the VALMEX fabric.
