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  4. Effects of prestress implementation on self-stress state in large-scale tensegrity structure
 
research article

Effects of prestress implementation on self-stress state in large-scale tensegrity structure

Habibi, Tara  
•
Rhode-Barbarigos, Landolf
•
Keller, Thomas  
May 4, 2023
Engineering Structures

Tensegrity structures are spatial, reticulated, and lightweight structures that are composed of struts and cables. Stability is provided by a self-stress state between tensioned and compressed members obtained by prestress. Although the form finding of tensegrity structures has attracted significant attention, few studies have focused on the structural concept implementation in large-scale systems and prestress implementation in particular. This work investigates the effects of the prestress implementation on the self-stress state in a large-scale tensegrity structure with interconnected struts. The suspended, 6.2-m-tall structure consists of stainless steel cables and carbon-fiber composite tubes. Different uniform and non-uniform prestress and support condition scenarios were applied and the effects on the self-stress state were investigated experimentally by measuring strains in the carbon tubes, stresses in cables, and reaction forces. Numerical modeling was performed using the dynamic relaxation method, whose predicted stress values were compared to experimental data. The results revealed that the cable-by-cable prestress implementation led to lower effective prestress levels than nominally predicted due to a continuous stress redistribution. Non-uniformly applied prestress resulted in a uniform stress state due to the same continuous stress redistribution. Small joint restrictions in rotational angles and small joint friction hindered geometry and stress distribution from changing when the support conditions changed. The importance of extending the analysis of tensegrity structures beyond form finding and sizing is thus demonstrated; prestress implementation and joint design also need attention.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.116222
Web of Science ID

WOS:000998367400001

Author(s)
Habibi, Tara  
Rhode-Barbarigos, Landolf
Keller, Thomas  
Date Issued

2023-05-04

Publisher

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Published in
Engineering Structures
Volume

288

Article Number

116222

Subjects

Engineering, Civil

•

Engineering

•

tensegrity cylinder

•

large-scale structure

•

self-stress distribution

•

geometrical complexity

•

prestress implementation

•

dynamic relaxation

•

nonlinear-analysis

•

truss

•

design

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
CCLAB  
Available on Infoscience
June 19, 2023
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/198330
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