Unraveling the Mechanisms Behind Fundamental Knitted Fabric Behavior
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Gonzalez, Sarah
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Abstract
Knitting is a fabric manufacturing method that has been used for centuries to create a sheet of fabric from a single thread. The microstructure of knitted fabrics lends them a unique inherent elasticity that has been used to drive intuitive design of complex fabrics for a variety of applications, from fashion to robotics to wearable electronics. Using both simulations and experiments, we investigate the elastic properties of knitted fabrics. We particularly focus on how micromechanical properties lead to macroscale mechanics.
We develop a simulation suite that considers individual stitches, utilizing symmetry to model an infinite sheet of knitted fabric. Using this simulation, we show that the differences in fabric elasticity between different stitch patterns arise due to stitch topology. We further investigate how individual yarn and manufacturing parameters influence fabric elasticity in stockinette fabric. We conduct a thorough investigation of knitted fabric jamming, with a particular focus on mechanisms and anisotropy. We conclude by using geometry to describe out-of-plane curling.
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2026-05
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Text
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Dissertation (PhD)