SYMBOLIC MANIPULATION AS A TOOL FOR DESIGN OF DEPLOYABLE DOMES

Deployable structures are prefabricated space frames consisting of str aight bars linked together in the factory as a compact bundle, which c an then be unfolded into large-span, load-bearing structural forms by simple articulation. The specific deployable structures investigated i n this study are characterized by being self-standing and stress-free when fully closed or fully deployed. In order to achieve this behaviou r, a detailed geometric design is required which consists of deriving and solving sets of nonlinear geometric and trigonometric equations. T he symbolic manipulation package Mathematica is used for the geometric design of near-spherical deployable structures. This application demo nstrates the great potential of symbolic manipulation as a tool for en gineering design. (C) 1997 Civil-Comp Ltd and Elsevier Science Ltd.