Compressive properties investigation of “stress transformer” based on high-distance woven spacer fabric design

High-distance woven spacer fabrics have been developed into a variety of special textile products for a wide range of applications. As a type of sandwich structure, their applications are heavily dependent on their compressive properties. In this study, the compressive properties of high-distance woven spacer flexible inflatable composites (HDWSFICs) have been evaluated by varying the indenter diameter, initial inflation pressure, and spacer yarn density. The experimental results showed that the compression process can be divided into three stages, including the Contact Stage, the Stress Transition Stage and the Densification Stage. In the Stress Transition Stage, the HDWSFICs can transform compressive load into tension stress, and especially local stress into integral stress, which can be considered a “Stress Transformer”. The existence of the spacer yarns allows the inflatable composites to bear more than three times the compressive load of the inflatable membrane material itself. The compressive modulus increases with spacer yarn density and initial inflation pressure, thus the stiffness of HDWSFICs can be designed. The findings of this study may provide ideas for the design of a “Stress Transformer” and theoretical references for the development of high-distance woven spacer inflatable composites with excellent mechanical properties.