Improved Pressurized Fabric Arches

Pressure stabilized arches, consisting of curved fabric tubes with closed ends and a valve for inflation and air retention, show promise as lightweight, quickly-erectable support structures for Army tents. Various methods for producing the pressurized air beams have been explored. The current method of arch fabrication is to cut patterns from flat fabric, and sew or cement seams to form the curved tube and end closure, with air-retention provided by a separate internal bladder or a coating. This method is labor intensive, and the resulting seams provide a large number of potential initiation sites for tube failure. The Army is currently pursuing both 3-D weaving and braiding approaches for producing the curved arches; however, these techniques are still in the developmental stages. Merix proposes to develop an automated method to inexpensively form the arches directly form non-woven fabric, with no seams. The Merix process should be less expensive that 3-D weaving and braiding, and should eliminate the possibility for defects in the 3-D weaving and braiding processes to degrade the arch support capabilities of the structure.