Initial Equilibrium Configuration Determination and Shape Adjustment of Cable Network Structures

Abstract

This article presents a rigorous static analysis of cable network structures, which relates the nodal position, the unstressed cable length and the external load using the elastic catenary cable element in order to take into consideration the cable curve effect and the fact that cables can only be tensioned. The incremental relationship between nodal position and cable length is employed for solving the unstressed cable length in the initial equilibrium configuration determination problem and for accomplishing the shape adjustment operation with an iterative method. Detailed procedures of investigating the problems of the initial equilibrium configuration and shape adjustment of the cable network supporting structure for a large reflector are presented to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the method.