A smart sensor for induced stress measurement in automotive textiles

Induced stresses in textiles play a major role in their mechanical properties, either during fabrication or use. The aim of this work is to present the development of a dedicated sensor, which could be directly inserted in a fabric. The study is focused on seat-cover fabrics. The developed sensor is based on polyvinylidene fluoride films, which can easily be integrated in multilayer textiles used for seat upholstery. The metrology method used is the study of phase variations of the sensor under different loads. Results have shown that these variations are linear, and differ with "complex" fabric type. A correlation study between Kawabata compression parameters and phase variations didn't show any relationship between slope values and compression properties when the surface fabrics of "complex" are compared, but a classification in "families" is possible when different foams are considered. Future studies using this technique should demonstrate if these "smart" textiles could find applications in automotive field.