DACRON© 360 WOVEN: EXPERIMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION AND COMPUTATIONAL ASPECTS

In this paper a first experimental study on Dacron© 360 woven constitutive behavior is presented. This woven is widely adopted in sail manufacturing, it is obtained by weaving polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn and it shows some peculiar features due to its own manufacturing process. The experimental tests, in terms of tensile tests and cyclic tests, clearly show the orthotropy features of the material, its high strength and deformability. The examination with optical microscope of the tested specimen allows to evidence the interaction between warp and weft yarns. The obtained results represent a first step for the definition of a correct computational approach to such materials.