Study on internal force optimization and control of a Levy cable dome

Abstract

This study introduces active control into a Levy cable dome structure, designing and fabricating a model with active struts and length-adjustable cable. The research investigates the structure's capacity for internal force optimization and control under various load conditions through experiments and simulations. Initially, internal forces are optimized using the intelligent algorithms, from which the optimal actuation plans are determined through comparison. Experiments verify the feasibility and the correctness of these plans. Results show that, after assembly and tensioning, the prestress distribution of the refined test model aligns closely with theoretical values, with a maximum error of only 5.06%. Under symmetric and asymmetric overload conditions, average internal force reductions from experiments and simulations are about 40.00% and 50.00%, respectively. However, a notable increase in total actuation lengths is observed in asymmetric overload conditions compared to symmetrical one, highlighting the necessity for higher actuation quantity under asymmetric loads to achieve equivalent internal force optimization and control.