Smart tensegrity structures for the Swiss Expo 2001

Mauro Pedretti

doi:10.1117/12.316994

21 July 1998 Smart tensegrity structures for the Swiss Expo 2001

Mauro Pedretti

Proceedings Volume 3330, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Sensory Phenomena and Measurement Instrumentation for Smart Structures and Materials; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316994
Event: 5th Annual International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

The Swiss Expo 2001 will be held in 2001 on the three lakes of Neuchatel, Bienne and Morat. The main events of this exhibition will take place on four platforms protruding from the seashore to the lake and with dimensions of about 400m X 100m. The covering 'deck' of these platforms will be created using the Tensegrity concept and will be dismantled and recycled after the event. This kind of structures is composed by a network of cables, struts and reinforced membranes. The resulting structural behavior is highly geometrically non-linear and is relatively complicated to calculate and simulate. This pointed to the necessity of extensive testing and permanent monitoring of the structures as well as to the introduction of active elements able to compensate for quasi-static variable loads such as temperature variations, snow on the membranes, successive construction phases and additional weight of scenic elements. This data will be continuously analyzed and, when corrective actions are necessary, hydraulic actuators placed at key locations will optimize the shape and the tensile state of the whole structure. Tests of this concept are now carried out on 1:10 scale models.

Citation Download Citation

Mauro Pedretti "Smart tensegrity structures for the Swiss Expo 2001", Proc. SPIE 3330, Smart Structures and Materials 1998: Sensory Phenomena and Measurement Instrumentation for Smart Structures and Materials, (21 July 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.316994

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