In-Situ Micro-scale Characterization of Parachute Textiles with Micro-Tomography and Machine Learning

Current fluid structure interaction (FSI) models utilized for the simulation of parachutes for planetary landing systems lack high-fidelity experimental results to benchmark. This work describes the development and results of a novel in-situ 2D tensile tester that allows for micro-scale imaging of parachute textiles under loaded conditions. The results focused on the behavior of MIL-C-7020H Type III and MIL-C-44378(GL) Type II parachute textile. The data collected during testing have been fed through an image processing pipeline that has allowed for tracking the locations and dimensions of each tow throughout the scanned region. The development of micro-scale properties such as tow crimp angle, aspect ratio, and projected pore size are reconstructed and tracked. These results show the ability of the 2D tensile tester together with μCT imaging to analyze in-depth the micro-scale properties under load of textiles and other flexible materials.