Authors:Lancelot Coar, Jason Hare, Lars De Laet, Young-Jin Cha, Gahyun Suh, Jesssica Piper, Violet Jiang Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. Cold climate regions with sustained temperatures between −10°C and −20°C offer a unique opportunity to produce temporary rigid ice spatial structures. An advantage offered by creating these unusual structures includes their ability to test the structural performance of spatial shells made from this and other analogous liquid-to-solid materials (e.g. concrete, GFRC, fiberglass, etc.) at a building scale. Additionally, because of the minimal cost of the material and temporary life of these structures, they offer a unique opportunity to explore and improve the design and construction methods used to erect shell structures in an efficient and low impact way. This paper focuses on the creation of fabric-formed ice shells utilizing bending active frames as a form-finding system. In particular, the paper will analyze the design process workflows used in three case studies of building-scale ice shell projects created by the authors and highlight the tools and methodologies developed to address the particular goals of each project. Responding to the lessons learned from these projects, a final project describing current research will be presented. In this work there is an effort to synthesize the lessons from the three previous projects and produce a congruent, iterative, and effective design and construction workflow to produce fabric-formed ice shells using bending active gridshells. An emphasis in this study focuses on the informational and methodological transfer between digital and physical tools and how these unique tools and capacities can create a synergistic design and construction language that leverages the limitations of one with the strengths of the other. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-12-21T09:48:15Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920981861
Authors:YG Li, TJ Liu, F Fan, HP Hong First page: 113 Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. Structures with multiple supports can be sensitive to spatial coherence and spatial correlation. Since the historical recordings are insufficient for selecting records that match predefined inter-support distances of a structure, desired seismic magnitude (or intensity) and site to seismic source distance for structural analysis, such records need to be simulated. In this study, we use a procedure that is extended based on the stochastic point-source method to simulate records for scenario events. The application of the simulated records to a single-layer reticulated dome with multiple supports is presented. The application is aimed at investigating the differences between the responses subjected to spatially uniform excitation and to spatially correlated and coherent multiple-support excitation for a scenario seismic event, assessing the relative importance of the spatial coherence and spatial correlation on the responses, and evaluating the effect of the uncertainty in the spatially correlated and coherent records for a scenario event on the statistics of the seismic responses. The analysis results indicate that the spatial correlation of the Fourier amplitude spectrum has a predominant influence on the linear/nonlinear responses, and the consideration of spatially correlated and coherent excitation at multiple supports is very important. The consideration of uniform excitation severely underestimates the seismic load effects as compared to those obtained under spatially correlated and coherent multiple-support excitation. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-06-22T08:41:40Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920931012
Authors:Dhwanil Sheth, Hemant Arora, Shashikant Joshi, B S Munjal, Dhaval B Shah First page: 126 Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. Mesh reflectors are always a preferable option for large size deployable antenna reflector over solid surface reflectors due to their flexibility of adjustment in minimum possible space and ability to get deployed to full configuration in space. Maintaining surface properties and accuracy are two important requirements in the design of the mesh reflector for the performance of cable network antenna reflectors. The present work considers the various design approaches for cable mesh configuration of space deployable antenna reflectors. The equal force density shape forming criteria such is applied for obtaining the desired parabolic curvature of the mesh configuration. The ring structure for the deployable mechanism is considered as rigid linkages for designing mesh configuration. A generalized numbering scheme for nodes and cable mesh link is formulated for carrying forward various shapes forming criteria which help in making an algorithm. The algorithm for a better understanding of these methods is developed using MATLAB with nodal coordinates and its connection. Mesh configuration is developed with a different number of divisions. A study is also carried out for finding the required number of divisions for a highly accurate parabolic profile for a particular band frequency. A demonstration model is developed and a comparison of the coordinates of the prototype is made with those arrived at using the model. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-09-30T07:15:20Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920960305
Authors:Tamás Baranyai First page: 135 Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. Dualities have been known to map space trusses and plate structures to each other since the 1980s. Yet the computational similarity of the two has not been used to solve the unfamiliar plate structure with the methods of the well-known truss. This article gives a method to find the forces and displacements of a plate structure with rigid plates and elastic edges, using a dual truss. The plates are assumed to be rigid in their respective planes only and deformable otherwise. The method provided is applicable for both statically determinate and indeterminate structures, subjected to both statical and kinematical loads. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-08-25T04:56:32Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920947564
Authors:Marta Gil Pérez, Bas Rongen, Valentin Koslowski, Jan Knippers First page: 147 Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. The BUGA fibre pavilion built in April 2019 at the Bundesgartenschau in Heilbronn, Germany, is the most recent coreless fibre winding research pavilion developed from the collaboration between ICD/ITKE at the University of Stuttgart. The research goal is to create lightweight and high-performance lattice composite structures through robotic fabrication. The pavilion is composed of 60 carbon and glass fibre components, and is covered by a prestressed ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) membrane. Each of the components is hollow in section and bone-like in shape. They are joined through steel connectors at the intersecting nodes where the membrane is also supported through steel poles. The components are fabricated by coreless filament winding (CFW), a technique where fibre filaments impregnated with resin are wound freely between two rotating scaffolds by a robotic arm. This novel structural system constitutes a challenge for the designer when proving and documenting the load-carrying capacity of the design. This paper outlines and elaborates on the core methods and workflows followed for the structural design, optimization and detailing of the BUGA fibre pavilion. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-10-03T05:08:40Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920961778
Authors:Dominika Pilarska First page: 160 Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. The paper presents the topological–geometric analysis of a selected number of space frames configurations for geodesic domes which are generated from the regular octahedron. Two subdivision methods for spherical triangles, proposed by Fuliński, were used to create two families of structures. The first family consists of six single-layer and six double-layer geodesic domes shaped on the basis of the first method of subdivision, while the second family contains six single-layer and six double-layer geodesic domes shaped on the basis of the second method of subdivision. The calculated results of the geometric parameters of the analyzed structures were used to create original formulas that allow for more advanced structures to be achieved, that is, with a larger number of nodes and struts. The geometric results were also used to create nomograms showing the range of struts of the same length for double-layer geodesic domes. In both single-layer and double-layer domes, the number of groups of struts of equal lengths and the number of faces with different areas are smaller for structures created according to the first method of subdivision. The comparison of the resulting element quantities of two methods shows that the largest differences appear between the domes with a larger number of struts (up to 67%). Here, the analysis might help the designer reach a final decision on the better choice of topology, in particular, when this aspect is combined with other design goals, such as efficiency, economy, utility, and elegance in the design of the structure and the cover of large areas. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-09-15T07:03:27Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920956944
Authors:Léa Boulic, Pierluigi D’Acunto, Federico Bertagna, Juan José Castellón First page: 174 Abstract: International Journal of Space Structures, Ahead of Print. This article highlights the design potentials of a recently proposed form-driven approach for bending-active tensile structures, in which the geometry of the actively bent elements can be directly defined without the recourse to a form-finding procedure. The approach is applied to the design of a lightweight sun-shading system that can be used to protect glazed building façades, and in which actively bent beams are restrained by pre-stressing strips. Other than structural requirements, the geometry of this hybrid structure is informed by functional and environmental considerations to prevent overheating and glare inside the building. Citation: International Journal of Space Structures PubDate: 2020-07-06T10:31:59Z DOI: 10.1177/0956059920931021
Subscription journal
