Influence of fiber end dimension on its bending behavior

Most textile fibers are geometrically irregular along the fiber length to a different degree,and this irregularity is bound to affect the bending behavior of fibers.This paper examines the influence of fiber end on the bending behavior of individual fibers by using finite element method(FEM).The actual geometry of the structure of the simulated individual fiber was discretized using multi-node,square,continuous three-dimensional finite elements in the quasi-static situations.The flexural rigidity of the irregular fibers with coarse and fine fiber ends was simulated under a cantilever bending condition.Results indicated that the influence of different fiber end dimensions on the bending behaviour of the fiber is evident;for the irregular fibers with the same mean diameter,those with finer fiber ends bend more easily than those with coarser fiber ends.This fiber end effect has a special implication for improving the skin-comfort property of the fabric.