Developing a new method to measure fabric drape and bending rigidity using image analysis method

In this thesis, a new device was developed to measure the drape and stiffness properties of fabrics by image process based methods that make the measurements held easily and less costly compared to the traditional methods. In the study, 42 types of hundred percent wool woven suiting fabrics are chosen as material. The aim of the study was to determine the fabric drape coefficient and fabric stiffness with only one device by the help of the methods based on image process for having advantages in terms of time and costs. In the study, drape and stiffness properties of fabrics were measured by the traditional methods. Relationships between the drape coefficients of the traditional method and the newly developed method were analyzed and correlation coefficient was found as 0.975. Two new parameters calculated by the image process methods were defined to determine the fabric stiffness using newly developed device. Fabric stiffness was explained over ninety percent by the use of "Center-Edge Distance" or "Drape Angle" in regression models.