Abstract

Keywords: nonwoven; bicomponent fibre; finite element; viscosity; anisotropy; polymer

ABSTRACT Multiscale numerical modelling of advanced materials gained importance in the last decade with increasing energy concerns related to weight and efficiency of the systems. Such materials have heterogeneous microstructure with direction-dependent mechanical properties. Nonwovens, bones, fibre-reinforced composites are a few examples of advanced materials with complex mechanical behaviour at various length scales. As an advanced material, nonwovens are the focus of this seminar in which two practical numerical modelling schemes are introduced to simulate complex mechanical performance of these materials.

Having a unique microstructure composed of two distinct regions with dissimilar characteristics (bond points and a fibre matrix), polymer-based nonwovens exhibit complex mechanical properties which are different from those of woven fabrics and composites [1]. This seminar aims to explain two finite element modelling approaches at different length scales to simulate anisotropic viscous elastic-plastic mechanical behaviour of thermally bonded nonwovens with core/sheath type bicomponent fibres. The algorithms and the numerical models introduced in this seminar can be used in design and optimization of nonwoven products.

References [1] Demirci, E., Acar, M., Pourdeyhimi, B. and Silberschmidt, V.V. (2011), “Finite element modelling of thermally bonded bicomponent fibre nonwovens: Tensile behaviour”, Computational Materials Science, 50 (4), pp 1286-1291, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.commatsci.2010.02.039