Stress generation and transmission in suspended fibre networks

Suspended fibre networks are viewed as particulate systems of closely packed non-adherent compressible flocs suspended in an incompressible penetrating matrix. Experiments show that stress chains form upon compression because the flocs stand in the way of each other. If tensile stresses are applied, the. flocs separate without significant resistance. Network voids open up between and parallel to the stress chains. The reason is that the fibres create compressible flocs with a Poisson ratio less than 0.5.