ABSTRACT
This paper presents an overview of an accurate and reliable, simplified material model for fabrics used in Membrane Structures that has been recently developed by Pargana & Leitão (2015). The model is applicable to plain-weave coated or uncoated fabrics, with the most representative examples being PTFE coated plain-weave glass-fibre fabrics, for permanent structures, and PVC coated plain-weave nylon or polyester fabrics, for temporary structures. The model is considered simplified as it contains only four fundamental elements dispensing with the many superfluous elements of the other leading models of Kato et al. (1999) and Pargana et al. (2007). For background the paper first provides an account of the material response of fabrics and the deformation mechanisms within fabrics that are responsible for its global behaviour. A brief literatures review of fabric modelling is then given before details of the material model are given. The strength of the model is demonstrated through comparison of experimental test results with the model results for an example of fabric.
