Static Behaviors and Applications of Buckling Monitoring Members with Rigid Ends

Abstract

The buckling of compression members may lead to the progressive collapse of spatial structures. Based on the sleeved compression member, the buckling monitoring member is introduced to control the buckling of compression member and raise buckling alert by sensing contact between the core tube and the restraining tube. Considering the rigid connection among the members in spatial structures, the buckling monitoring member with rigid ends needs to be further analyzed. An experimental test was conducted and finite element analyses were performed with calibrated finite element models. The results indicated that the ultimate bearing capacity and post-ultimate bearing capacity of the core tube were enhanced due to the restraint from the restraining tube. The contact was successfully sensed by pressure sensor, revealing that it sensed the buckling of the core tube. Parametric studies were conducted, indicating that the core protrusion, core slenderness ratio, the gap between the core tube and restraining tube, and the flexural rigidity ratio are the key parameters affecting the bearing capacity and the failure modes of the buckling monitoring member, and some key values of parameters were proposed to obtain good bearing capacity. Based on the parametric studies, the failure modes of buckling-monitoring members are summarized as global buckling and local buckling. The stress distribution and deformation mode of buckling monitoring members are presented in the non-contact, point-contact, line-contact, reverse-contact and ultimate bearing state. The buckling monitoring member is applied in a reticulated shell by substituting the buckling members. It can effectively improve the ultimate bearing capacity of reticulated shell.