Finite element simulation of fracture strength of PTFE coated glass fiber fabric membranes

Abstract

In the present study, the theory for the constitutive equation based on Fabric Lattice Model is extended to study the mechanism of fracture under arbitrary bi-axial tensions. Since the former constitutive equations can treat the viscosity, the extended constitutive equations based on the Fabric Lattice Model can be applied to various structural problems and phenomena from tensioning process of membranes to failure of large membrane structures. The study here is first to add the fracture criteria to the previous constitutive equations, second to evaluate the constants added for the fibers inherent to fracture, and finally, based on the extended theory to evaluate the fracture strength under various ratios of bi-axial tensions.