Influence Parameter Analysis and Wrinkling Control of Space Membrane Structures

Abstract

This paper aims to find the effective wrinkling control strategy for space membrane structures, including square solar sails and inflatable reflectors. The wrinkles in a square solar sail were first predicted using a nonlinear finite element solution. Analysis of wrinkling influence parameters was then evaluated to determine the shape and wrinkling control schemes for the solar sail. The wrinkling criterion and characteristics were then determined by introducing the principal stress criterion and an elliptical assumption for the shape of the wrinkled region in inflatable reflector. We then evaluated the effects of the parameters on the wrinkling characteristics. These results were used to determine an effective wrinkling control strategy. The wrinkling control for the solar sail effectively improved the membrane stiffness and controlled the initial prestress in the membrane, while simultaneously reducing the structural scale. For the inflatable reflector, controlling edge tension using a tape as a tension-compliant border was an effective wrinkling elimination scheme, and this was verified by the numerical results in the end. The conclusions of this paper are useful when applied to wrinkling and shape control of space membrane structures.