Behavior Characteristic of Hypar Shaped Space Truss with Some Removed Members

Abstract

This paper discusses the behavior of cable-tensioned and shaped hypar space truss, with consideration of the influence of removing some web members in two directions. Hypar shaped space truss is cable-tensioned at the strand of bottom chords with one diagonal on the ground; the essential behavior characteristic of shape formation is discussed by using a small-scale test model. Results of experiments and nonlinear finite-element analysis indicate that a planar, rectangular-arranged structure can be deformed to a predicted hypar shape, by the proposed cable-tensioning method. Also the feasibility of the proposed method for furnishing of a hypar shaped space truss has been presented, under the conditions removed web members with both active diagonal and passive diagonal. It follows that a nonlinear finite element analysis method can be used in predicting the behavior of the space shape and the cable-tensioning force in shaping formation of hypar space truss. Further, in comparison to the two cases, the results of test and analysis show that the shaping formation for the removed web members with passive diagonal direction is in relatively good agreement.