Static and vibration compaction and microstructure analysis on plain-woven textile fabrics

The static and vibration compaction response of carbon and fibreglass plain-weave fabrics was studied experimentally, with the effects of number of layers, low viscosity lubrication, relaxation, and vibration load and frequency evaluated. The static compaction response of both fabrics followed a power law model and the resulting fibre volume fraction and relaxation increased with the number of layers, and lubrication. The microstructure of the plain-weave fabrics were evaluated and compared for both static and vibration compaction. The degree of nesting, yarn width, yarn height, yarn packing fraction, waveform height, and the waveform length were measured. The vibration compaction results in a higher fibre volume fraction than static compaction at a specified pressure. The higher fibre volume fraction can be attributed to additional spreading of the yarns and an increase in yarn packing fraction compared to that observed in static compaction. There was an increase in nesting with vibration in general, although the nesting was decreased when the spacing between yarns was small. The increase in fibre volume fraction was significant (up to 16%) for the fibreglass plain-weave fabric for vibration compaction, while this effect was not realised for the carbon plain-weave fabric until high vibration compaction pressures were used (up to 6% increase in Vf).