Mechanical properties of PTFE coated fabrics

Abstract

This article presents the mechanical properties of PTFE coated fabrics used in Central axis roof of Shanghai Expo. First, groups of off-axial and biaxial tensile tests are carried out, and the failure mechanism and strength criterion are studied. Then, on-axial samples are tested under different strain rates, and the relationship between strain rates, tensile strength, and strain at break are determined. Finally, the effects of temperature on mechanical properties are studied. Results show that PTFE coated fabrics are typically orthotropic and its strength can be predicted by the Tsai—Hill strength criterion. The tensile strength and strain at break show linear with the strain rate’s logarithm. The temperature has little effect on the mechanical properties and the temperature reduction factor is proposed for the design and analysis.