Analysis of the low-stress mechanical properties of station wear uniforms of firefighters

Low-stress mechanical properties are essential in enhancing comfort, durability, and aesthetic attributes. These properties significantly influence fabrics’ overall performance and tactile comfort in various applications. Meta-aramid yarn was used to develop the fire protective station wear of various weave structures like plain, basket, and ripstop. The linear density of the yarn was 29.5 Tex, and three different PPCs (picks per centimetre) of 15.7, 18.1, and 20.5 were considered for the manufacture of the fabrics. The low-stress mechanical properties such as tensile properties (tensile linearity and tensile energy), shear properties (shear hysteresis (2HG and 2HG5) and shear rigidity), bending properties (bending rigidity, bending hysteresis), and compressional energy were investigated using the Kawabata evaluation system (KES). The effect of weave structures on the low-stress mechanical properties of various fabrics was analysed. The linearity of the tensile load extension curve (LT) and the tensile resilience (RT) increased with the increase in weft density for all the weave structures. It was observed that increasing the PPC from 15.7 to 20.5 improved the linearity of the load-extension curve, with LT values rising from 0.38 to 0.58 for plain weave, and increased tensile energy (WT) from 3.55 to 7.3 g.cm/cm ² for plain weave and from 3.32 to 6.55 g.cm/cm ² for basket weave. Surface roughness (SMD) also decreased, with values dropping from 10.39 µm to 8.81 µm for plain weave. A complex relationship between weave structure and PPC needs to be considered when optimizing the design and performance of station wear fabrics.