Abstract

Design and development of transformable large-scale space structures requires thoroughly analysing their operating conditions and existing internal and external forces, as well as determining the stress-strain state of load-bearing frameworks. As a rule, complete fullscale tests of orbital operation of transformable structures is impossible on Earth. This fact means that the problem of developing mathematical models that properly simulate mechanical properties of such structures becomes crucial for their design. These models should allow design computations to be carried out efficiently and various layouts to be analysed. We present our procedure of computing the stress-strain state for load-bearing framework elements using deployment of a 20 m diameter annular antenna as an example. The stress-strain state of the load-bearing frame elements is determined by impact loads generated during deployment when adjacent links are mounted on locking plates. In order to determine these impact loads, we computed framework deployment parameters, calculating the velocities of framework elements at the moments when they come into contact with the locking plates. We then assume the velocities obtained for the transformable load-bearing framework links to be the initial conditions for a finite element model of the structure used to compute its stress-strain state. As a result, the calculations yielded equivalent stresses generated in the load-bearing framework components during deployment.

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