Academic Journal
Effect of Strut Geometric Imperfections on the Internal Forces Distribution in Tensegrity Structures.
| Τίτλος: | Effect of Strut Geometric Imperfections on the Internal Forces Distribution in Tensegrity Structures. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Payen, Basile, Latteur, Pierre, de Almeida, João Pacheco |
| Πηγή: | Journal of Structural Engineering; May2026, Vol. 152 Issue 5, p1-13, 13p |
| Θεματικοί όροι: | Tensegrity (Engineering), Stiffness (Engineering), Stress concentration, Computer simulation, Civil engineering, Strains & stresses (Mechanics), Structural analysis (Engineering) |
| Περίληψη: | Tensegrity structures are valued for their distinctive look, deployability, and potential for active control, making them attractive candidates for applications in civil engineering, architectural, and space structures. Recent large-scale experiments have revealed discrepancies with numerical model simulations when significant external loads or prestress are applied. These differences can be due to initial geometric imperfections of compressed struts, which lead to an elastic bending causing a reduction in the struts' axial stiffness. This affects the distribution of prestress and internal forces, as well as the structural stiffness and load-bearing capacity. This article focuses on the influence of the out-of-straightness of struts on the distribution of prestress and internal forces, and how these geometric imperfections should be considered to obtain more reliable models for design and assessment. The first part of this work develops a dimensionless analytical expression for the loss of strut stiffness due to out-of-straightness. The second part explains how this analytical expression can be integrated into a numerical code developed by the authors, called Muscle, for calculating tensegrity structures. In the third part, the approach is validated on two previously tested prototypes, an aluminum simplex and a 15 m bamboo footbridge, demonstrating that geometric imperfections can change internal forces by tens of percent. The proposed formulation thus provides a computationally efficient and general framework for incorporating imperfection-induced stiffness reduction into the analysis and design of tensegrity structures. Practical Applications: Tensegrity has been discussed by engineers and architects for decades. However, the number of tensegrity structures built as part of civil engineering and architectural projects is extremely limited worldwide. There are several reasons for this, including the lack of confidence engineers have in these complex structures, which in turn is due to a lack of confidence in the programs used to calculate and design them. This investigation deals with geometric imperfections in struts, which many consider negligible, but which in reality is shown to have a major impact on the value and distribution of internal forces. This article explains how this phenomenon was integrated into the open-source Grasshopper plug-in Muscle, which was developed by the authors for the calculation and design of tensegrity structures. This article will therefore enable Muscle users to calculate tensegrity structures with high reliability and to design them according to the required safety standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Structural Engineering is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | Complementary Index |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: edb DbLabel: Complementary Index An: 192320932 RelevancyScore: 1061 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 1060.76245117188 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Effect of Strut Geometric Imperfections on the Internal Forces Distribution in Tensegrity Structures. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Payen%2C+Basile%22">Payen, Basile</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Latteur%2C+Pierre%22">Latteur, Pierre</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22de+Almeida%2C+João+Pacheco%22">de Almeida, João Pacheco</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: Journal of Structural Engineering; May2026, Vol. 152 Issue 5, p1-13, 13p – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Tensegrity+%28Engineering%29%22">Tensegrity (Engineering)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stiffness+%28Engineering%29%22">Stiffness (Engineering)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+concentration%22">Stress concentration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+simulation%22">Computer simulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Civil+engineering%22">Civil engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Strains+%26+stresses+%28Mechanics%29%22">Strains & stresses (Mechanics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Structural+analysis+%28Engineering%29%22">Structural analysis (Engineering)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Tensegrity structures are valued for their distinctive look, deployability, and potential for active control, making them attractive candidates for applications in civil engineering, architectural, and space structures. Recent large-scale experiments have revealed discrepancies with numerical model simulations when significant external loads or prestress are applied. These differences can be due to initial geometric imperfections of compressed struts, which lead to an elastic bending causing a reduction in the struts' axial stiffness. This affects the distribution of prestress and internal forces, as well as the structural stiffness and load-bearing capacity. This article focuses on the influence of the out-of-straightness of struts on the distribution of prestress and internal forces, and how these geometric imperfections should be considered to obtain more reliable models for design and assessment. The first part of this work develops a dimensionless analytical expression for the loss of strut stiffness due to out-of-straightness. The second part explains how this analytical expression can be integrated into a numerical code developed by the authors, called Muscle, for calculating tensegrity structures. In the third part, the approach is validated on two previously tested prototypes, an aluminum simplex and a 15 m bamboo footbridge, demonstrating that geometric imperfections can change internal forces by tens of percent. The proposed formulation thus provides a computationally efficient and general framework for incorporating imperfection-induced stiffness reduction into the analysis and design of tensegrity structures. Practical Applications: Tensegrity has been discussed by engineers and architects for decades. However, the number of tensegrity structures built as part of civil engineering and architectural projects is extremely limited worldwide. There are several reasons for this, including the lack of confidence engineers have in these complex structures, which in turn is due to a lack of confidence in the programs used to calculate and design them. This investigation deals with geometric imperfections in struts, which many consider negligible, but which in reality is shown to have a major impact on the value and distribution of internal forces. This article explains how this phenomenon was integrated into the open-source Grasshopper plug-in Muscle, which was developed by the authors for the calculation and design of tensegrity structures. This article will therefore enable Muscle users to calculate tensegrity structures with high reliability and to design them according to the required safety standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: Abstract Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Structural Engineering is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1061/JSENDH.STENG-15452 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Tensegrity (Engineering) Type: general – SubjectFull: Stiffness (Engineering) Type: general – SubjectFull: Stress concentration Type: general – SubjectFull: Computer simulation Type: general – SubjectFull: Civil engineering Type: general – SubjectFull: Strains & stresses (Mechanics) Type: general – SubjectFull: Structural analysis (Engineering) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Effect of Strut Geometric Imperfections on the Internal Forces Distribution in Tensegrity Structures. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Payen, Basile – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Latteur, Pierre – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: de Almeida, João Pacheco IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 07339445 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 152 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Structural Engineering Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |