Measurement of Drape Coefficients of Fabrics and Description of Those Hanging Shapes

To evaluate dynamic drape behavior of fabrics in swinging motion of fabrics, a testing device to measure dynamic drapeability in continuous swinging motion was designed, and new adequate parameters that can represent dynamic drapeability of fabrics were defined and the stability of those parameters was discussed. Following conclusions were obtained. At the maximum angle in one-time swinging motion, fabrics were subjected to the largest acceleration and the projected area changed remarkably. It was concluded that the change of the projected area characterized dynamic drapeability of fabrics in swinging motion. Dynamic drape coefficient Dd was defined as a parameter of the dynamic drapeability, and it maintained high accuracy and reproducibility. Dd and mechanical parameters of bending and shearing properties of fabrics were studied precisely and the regression equations were derived from those mechanical parameters. It was shown clearly that Dd was controlled firstly by fabric weight, secondly by shearing property and bending property.