Abstract
The stability of cable-net structures depends on the prestress of the system. Due to the large displacement and mutual effect of the cables, it is difficult to simulate the tensioning process and control the forming accuracy. The Backward Algorithm (BA) has been used to simulate the tensioning process. The traditional BA involves complicated and tedious matrix operations. In this paper, a new numerical method based on the Vector Form Intrinsic Finite Element (VFIFE) method is proposed for BA application. Moreover, the tensioning sequence of a complex cable-net structure is introduced. Subsequently, a new approach for BA application in the simulation of the tensioning process is presented, which combines the VFIFE approach and the notion of form-finding. Finally, a numerical example is simulated in detail and the results of different tensioning stages are analyzed to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach. This study provides a significant reference for improving the construction control and forming accuracy of complex prestressed cable-net structures.
Highlights
Prestressed cable-net structures are flexible space structures composed of interlaced steel cables
Due to limitations related to the tensioning machines and the working conditions faced on-site, cables may need to be tensioned in batches during the construction process
A novel Backward Algorithm (BA) is proposed and its feasibility is demonstrated based on the numerical example of the complex cable-net structure of the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) active reflector
Summary
Prestressed cable-net structures are flexible space structures composed of interlaced steel cables. To demonstrate the effectiveness and adaptability of the proposed approach, the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) active reflector, which is an extremely complex cable-net structure (Nan & Peng, 2000), is selected as the simulation example Such complex prestressed cable-net structures are mostly adopted for flexible reflectors and deployable antennas (Shi et al, 2021; Liu et al, 2019; Maddio et al, 2019; Yuan & Yang, 2019; Li et al, 2016), where the construction accuracy has a direct impact on astronomical observation accuracy. The most critical tensioning process during the construction of such complex cable-net structures is simulated and the changes in the internal force are determined as well This provides an innovative approach for the construction analysis of this type of complex prestressed cable-net structures
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