Quasi-static folding and deployment of rigidizable inflatable beamsShow others and affiliations
2021 (English)In: International Journal of Solids and Structures, ISSN 0020-7683, E-ISSN 1879-2146, Vol. 232, article id 111063Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
This paper is concerned with a theoretical and experimental study of the deployment of inflated curved slender beams. A theoretical model for a beam with effects from restoring force and moment on deployment angle is proposed. Assuming slow deployment, a quasi-static viewpoint is utilized to simplify the model which the buckling cross-section is considered. The relation between deployment angle and contact area at the instability bending point is studied for the membrane chamber of a thermally rigidizable inflatable beam. While an inflated beam was constrained as simply-supported and fixed-free at its ends, the relations between the restoring force and moment and the internal pressure and its angle were tested by adding to the mechanical experimental method an infrared thermal imager. Results show that the restoring force and moment are increasing with the pressure at a given angle. Moreover, the restoring moment is nonlinearly related to the deployment angle. The correctness of the theoretical model was verified through experiments.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier BV , 2021. Vol. 232, article id 111063
Keywords [en]
Quasi-static deployment, Curved slender beams, Inflated beams, Restoring force, Buckling kink
National Category
Building Technologies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-304694DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2021.111063ISI: 000709264100007Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85113633241OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-304694DiVA, id: diva2:1610336
Note
QC 20211110
2021-11-102021-11-102022-06-25Bibliographically approved