CHAPTER 5 FABRIC STIFFNESS AND DRAPE - …shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/15508/10/10_chapter 5.pdfCHAPTER 5 FABRIC STIFFNESS AND DRAPE 5.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter discusses

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CHAPTER 5

FABRIC STIFFNESS AND DRAPE

5.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses the fabric stiffness and drape for commercial

fabrics by a simple method utilizing small strips of fabric samples.

5.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS

The materials have already been described in chapter 3. The

method used for measurement has been described in the above chapter. Figure

5.1 shows the instrument used for measuring drape angle.

Figure 5.1 Drape tester

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5.3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

That 5 cm strip length is sufficient for the measurement of

drape angles is evident from the Table 5.1. For the eleven samples included in

Group 2, the drape angles were measured and the values are given in Table.

The drape was normally measured by taking 30 cm of samples and these are

also given in the Table 5.1.

Table 5.1 Drape of fabrics

CFF Drape angle measured

by 5 cm strip length

Drape by 30 cm

sample (%)

2 32 52

1 55 43

0.5 65 32

0.969 62 35

1 51 48

0.5 65 30

1.188 31 52

1.5 55 46

1.25 52 42

1.5 55 38

1.25 60 37

It is evident that there is a good correlation between the two

methods i.e., 5 cm strip and 30 cm circular sample. The correlation between

CFF and drape angle is 0.718 and is highly significant. Values of drape angle

for 48 fabrics are given in Table 5.2.

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Table 5.2 Drape angle of fabrics

Drape angle Flexural rigidity (mg.cm) Fabric

No. Warp Weft Warp Weft

1 51 44 82 160

2 57 68 79 50

3 48 45 121 150

4 68 65 59 56

5 67 64 59 65

6 72 59 50 98

7 68 43 52 122

8 62 68 88 71

9 15 19 702 672

10 52 41 140 204

11 62 64 46 36

12 72 64 40 48

13 69 64 41 54

14 62 77 55 24

15 71 70 72 41

16 68 68 72 67

17 29 44 154 104

18 54 58 110 70

19 62 73 92 46

20 57 59 85 67

21 52 65 70 45

22 65 67 74 53

23 66 72 80 64

24 78 76 13 14

25 76 72 18 15

26 76 72 17 14

27 77 70 14 10

28 59 56 150 74

29 59 62 55 80

30 53 60 160 66

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Table 5.2 (Continued)

Drape angle Flexural rigidity (mg.cm) Fabric

No. Warp Weft Warp Weft

31 60 52 46 43

32 33 16 51 67

33 67 68 40 45

34 64 73 64 73

35 35 41 43 55

36 70 68 202 260

37 79 78 159 261

38 81 78 214 153

39 75 77 156 323

40 79 82 300 173

41 48 67 145 160

42 65 57 216 244

43 38 61 170 243

44 66 67 113 2633

45 67 67 106 158

46 72 68 115 72

47 57 58 589 539

48 71 67 133 118

It is clear that 5 cm strip length is sufficient to measure drape when

the drape angle is high. Flexural rigidity values are also given in Table 5.2.

Higher drape angle is associated with lower flexural rigidity.

5.4 CONCLUSION

The new tester is simple and requires only 5 cm strip. The drape

angle can measured from one measurement. An excellent correlation between

the drape measured by conventional method and 5 cm strip has been obtained.