In this paper, a non-orthogonal constitutive model [1] is used to investigate the effect of
sample misalignment due to ‘tow meander’, across the initial blank sheet on the shear compliance of
a woven glass fabric, as measured using the biaxial bias extension test with various transverse loads
applied [2]. The same statistical distribution and spatial correlations of shear angles observed in the
woven glass fabric have been automatically reproduced using ‘VarifabGA’ [3]. The effect of realistic
tow directional variability is investigated by generating blanks using VarifabGA and then simulating
the biaxial bias extension test using the finite element software, Abaqus ExplicitTM. In order to
assign the initial fiber orientation to each element in the mesh, a unique element set is assigned to
each element. A MatlabTM code 'InitialAngle.m' has been written to produce two input files; the first
'Mat.inp' includes the material property parameters of each element and the second 'Sec.inp' includes
the sections of those elements. Finally, a comparison between the experimental and predicted shear
compliance shows the effect of tow directional variability
