Abstract

Three-point bend test methodology has been applied to characterise and investigate the bending behaviour of chrome tanned leather. Of particular interest has been the influence of thickness on the force required to bend the leather by a given amount. Results are presented for crust leather before and after staking as well as for finished leather. For each type of leather it was found that the form of the bending force—thickness relationship departed from the expectation of the standard theory of bending. It is shown that these discrepancies may be accounted for by using a modified theory which incorporates different stiffness values for grain and corium layers.