In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of 

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics 

School of Physics Thesis Dissertation Defense

Sarah Gonzalez

Dr. Sabetta Matsumoto, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology (Advisor)

Unravelling the Mechanisms Behind Fundamental Knitted Fabric Behavior

Date: Friday, March 6, 2026

Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Pettit Microelectronics, 102A&B 

Virtual: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/7669130386?omn=97900990999

Meeting ID: 766 913 0386

Committee members:

Dr. Peter Yunker, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Ignacio Taboada, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Simon Sponberg, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Michael Dimitriyev, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University

Abstract:

Knitting is a fabric manufacturing method that has been used for centuries to create a sheet of fabric from a single thread. The microstructure of knitted fabrics lends them a unique inherent elasticity that has been used to drive intuitive-design of complex fabrics for a variety of applications, from fashion to robotics to wearable electronics. Using both simulations and experiments, we investigate the elastic properties of knitted fabrics. We particularly focus on how micromechanical properties lead to macroscale mechanics. In this talk, we will discuss three primary projects: how individual yarn and manufacturing parameters affect mechanics, anisotropic jamming in knitted fabrics, and geometry-driven curling at the boundary.