Biaxial load bearing behaviour of woven fabric membranes under multiple loads
With DIN EN 17117‐1, a European standard for the performance and evaluation of biaxial tensile tests on coated textiles, as used in membrane construction, has been available for about a year now. This article offers a presentation, analysis and valuation of the new regulations. Particular innovations compared to the previous test practice, such as regulations on test specimen geometry, load protocol and loading speed are explained and evaluated. The article shows the difference between elastic design constants and elastic comparison constants and gives examples of their application and interpretation.