A simple approach to nonlinear tensile stiffness for accurate cloth simulation

TLDR

Recent cloth simulation models aim for accurate elastic stiffness via continuum mechanics, but linearizing tensors for tensile deformations requires adaptations to handle nonlinearities from large deformations. The study aims to accurately simulate cloth’s nonlinear properties by avoiding linearization of tensors. This is achieved by replacing linearized tensors with adapted strain‑stress laws that precisely capture the material’s nonlinear behavior. The method yields highly streamlined, efficient simulations of nonlinear anisotropic tensile elasticity, as demonstrated by garment simulations using experimental tensile curves.

Abstract

Recent mechanical models for cloth simulation have evolved toward accurate representation of elastic stiffness based on continuum mechanics, converging to formulations that are largely analogous to fast finite element methods. In the context of tensile deformations, these formulations usually involve the linearization of tensors, so as to express linear elasticity in a simple way. However, this approach needs significant adaptations and approximations for dealing with the nonlinearities resulting from large cloth deformations. Toward our objective of accurately simulating the nonlinear properties of cloth, we show that this linearization can indeed be avoided and replaced by adapted strain-stress laws that precisely describe the nonlinear behavior of the material. This leads to highly streamlined computations that are particularly efficient for simulating the nonlinear anisotropic tensile elasticity of highly deformable surfaces. We demonstrate the efficiency of this method with examples related to accurate garment simulation from experimental tensile curves measured on actual materials.