Design of a Full-Scale Aluminum Plate Tensegrity Structure

Tensegrity structures are typically composed of bars and cables held together in a state of self-stress. This introduces a challenge regarding the practical use of tensegrity structures, as many structures in civil engineering, such as bridge decks and roof coverings, require a surface element to be integrated into the structure. This paper describes the design development and analysis of a full-scale aluminum plate tensegrity canopy structure, which introduces a plate as a third element type. The primary reason for the plate tensegrity structure as a canopy is its high strength-to-weight ratio while providing a surface. This paper proposes an analysis method for plate tensegrity structures using dynamic relaxation, a static solution of form finding. To employ dynamic relaxation, each plate is transformed into an equivalent framework of 5 nodes and 8 bars, which significantly increases the computational efficiency of the analysis method. In addition to static analysis, a dynamic characterization is performed to ensure resistance to vibrations induced by wind and seismic activity. Results indicate that the aluminum plate tensegrity structure meets current civil engineering criteria for strength and serviceability and that the eigenfrequencies are sufficiently high to be beyond the risk of resonance for wind and seismic activity.