Mechanical properties of a woven ramie fabric under multidimensional loadings

Mechanical properties of woven ramie fabric under 3D loadings are fundamental to optimizing the design of woven composites that are frequently subjected to complex stress states. This work proposes a novel 3D test analysis system for evaluating woven natural-fiber fabrics under multidimensional loads. The effects of different loading directions, uniaxial (X direction), biaxial (X and Y), bursting (Z direction), and 3D loading (X, Y, and Z) on the breaking strength of the woven ramie (Boehmeria nivea) fabric were compared. Weft breaking strength was lower than that of warp under uniaxial tension. Variability in warp and weft increased in biaxial tension. Bursting strength was significantly affected by the type of loading head used, with an R20 spherical head producing the highest strength values. Warp and weft were positively correlated under biaxial tension, r = 0.58. The synergistic effect of bursting strength accounted for 12.5% of the total correlation under 3D loadings.