Parameterized Shape Adaptive Material: A New Design Method for Inclusive Sportswear

Jennifer Beem completed her Master’s of Engineering thesis in Mechanical Engineering.

Abstract

Conventional sportswear design does not take into account body size changes that many individuals experience (i.e. through pregnancy, menstruation, etc.). This study focuses on transforming multi-stable mechanisms into composite form to create shape adaptive wearable materials for periods of body size and shape change. A corresponding predictive mathematical model is created to explore geometric parameter aˆ, which is the ratio of unit cell amplitude to width. This predictive tool feeds into an optimization tool, which allows designers to create these shape adaptive composites based on desired force-extension curve parameters. Experimental testing is completed to validate the predictive model portion of the optimization tool and shows good agreement in mid-range (aˆ=0.3 & 0.4) designs, with some noted inconsistencies in lower range values (aˆ=0.1 & 0.2). To illustrate how the optimization design tool works two design examples are shown, one for expected shape change during pregnancy and one for targeted compression in swimwear. In addition to uniaxial testing samples, realistic apparel pieces with integrated shape-adaptive panels are created and pressure tested to understand how user perception may be affected. Initial pressure testing shows an improvement in pressure regulation in apparel pieces with standalone multistable panels, verifying that multi-stable structures can help achieve shape adaptive properties in apparel.

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