Abstract: In order to research notch sensitivity of flexible warp knitting metal mesh, its unilateral and bilateral notch are preset, and then, the warp direction tensile are tested at the speed of 20mm/min. The destruction and tensile load-elongation curve of notched samples are analyzed. The notch tensile force (Fnotch), the threshold force (Fthreshold) and notch strength ratio (RNS) under the notch size ratio (a/W) are compared and analyzed. Experiment and analysis results show that preset notch significantly degrade the tensile mechanical properties of the metal mesh material; Fnotch and Fthreshold are both greater in bilateral notched specimens than in single-sided notched specimens in the case of the same incision length. Relative to bilateral incision, flexible warp knitting metal mesh is more sensitive to unilateral incision. This is because the "girdling" phenomenon of the stretching process which make the samples of unilateral incisions to be forced only in one side, while the specimens of bilateral notch can bear force from both sides.

Key words: flexible warp knitting, metal mesh, notch sensitivity, tensile performance