Proposed Algorithm for Warp Direction Checking in Tensioned Fabric Structures

Mesh generation of tensioned fabric structure is needed before form-finding. The sequence of defining the mesh of a surface must ensure that the warp and fill direction of the fabric material used in the model is properly represented due to orthotropic nature of fabric material. Therefore, the checking of orientation of mesh is essential because the orientation of element nodes directly affects the direction of material axes. The manual checking of orientation of mesh is not sufficient to give the accurate and precise result and it is time-consuming. There is no such research to index and search for orientation of mesh specially. Procedure for changing node numbering sequence of elements in a mesh of FE model for initial assumed shape has been proposed in order to obtain a correct warp direction in elements. Results show that the proposed algorithm for warp direction checking can achieve substantially accurate classification.