Combined Puncture and Cutting of Soft-Coated Fabrics by a Pointed Blade: Energy, Force and Stress Failure Criteria

Abstract

Soft elastomer-coated fabrics are widely used in engineering and protective applications. Puncture cutting by sharp-tipped objects is one of the most common failure modes of protective gloves made of coated fabrics. In order to investigate the puncture-cutting process of soft elastomer-coated fabrics, we studied the mechanisms and mechanics of pointed-blade insertion into specimens cut out from four protective gloves. Experimental and analytical analyses showed that total energy and critical puncture-cutting force calculated analytically are both able to predict the puncture-cutting resistance of soft elastomer-coated fabrics measured experimentally. Total energy is obtained from the relationship between the puncture-cutting work and the created fracture area, while critical force is calculated by two analytical models developed for soft elastomeric membranes. The components of the critical puncture-cutting force are predicted analytically and then used to calculate the compressive and shear loading stress components based on the contact surface between the pointed blade tip and material. Since there is a linear relationship between the compressive stress component and shear stress component, a modified linear strength criterion is proposed for puncture cutting of soft elastomer-coated fabrics by a pointed blade. Our stress-based criterion connects the 45° tensile strength (in the 45° direction) and biaxial strengths (in the course direction, 0°, and wale direction, 90°) to both compressive and shear loading stresses. The analytical and experimental results are consistent. This investigation can be used as a guideline to evaluate the puncture cutting of soft elastomer-coated fabrics using an energy-based criterion, critical force-based criterion, or stress-based criterion.

Analytical and experimental investigation of puncture-cut resistance of soft membranes

“…It should be noted that the proposed model has some limitations in terms of the cutting edge angle (20°≤ α ≤ 70°), large material thickness, blade thickness and sharpness, and the contact length. Some of these parameters were taken into account when developing a second analytical model of F P/C [21].…”

Evaluating the effectiveness of coating knitted fabrics with silica nanoparticles for protection from needle-stick injuries

“…Penetration and puncture cutting by sharp-tipped objects and needles are considered as the most common failure modes of protective gloves made of microcoated fabrics [14][15][16][17]. For example, coating applications are often used to exhibit a unique potential for use in a widespread range of applications from mechanical platforms and smart structures to effective protective fabrics.…”

“…Although knit has remained a good fabric for coating applications as reported by Wustrow [34], there are few published studies dealing with coated knit samples due to their common failure modes in engineering and protective applications especially against the puncture cutting by sharp-tipped [14]. However, studies have pointed out that the protective material based on knitted structure had the features of low weight, better designability, fulfilling wide-area protection, etc.…”

Research of 3D weft-knitted fabrics designed to protect against mechanical risks and suitable for contact with skin

“…Protection of the body against the severity of the work environment is the top priority [1][2][3][4], because the adverse effects of the environment can cause irreparable damage to human health or may even cause death. In general, the main types of cut hazards are sharp edge cuts, abrasive cut hazards, and puncture cutting by sharp-tipped objects [3,5,6].…”

“…To reduce the negative effect of cut and puncture hazards, workers in such industrial workplaces as metalworking, food processing, industrial papermaking, and others commonly wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as protective gloves, sleeves, etc. [2,4,[6][7][8].…”