This paper produces a design for a minimal mass, deployable support structure for a solar panel covering of water canals. The results are based upon the minimal mass properties of tensegrity structures. The efficient structure is a tensegrity system which has an optimal complexity for min-imal mass. This optimal complexity is derived in this paper, along with deployable schemes which are useful for construction, repairs, for sun following, and for servicing. It is shown that the minimal structure naturally has deployable features so that extra mass is not needed to add the multifunctional features. The design of bridge structures with tensegrity architecture will show an optimal complexity depending only on material choices and external loads.
Energy harvesting tensegrity bridges
CARPENTIERI, GERARDO;FRATERNALI, Fernando
2015
Abstract
This paper produces a design for a minimal mass, deployable support structure for a solar panel covering of water canals. The results are based upon the minimal mass properties of tensegrity structures. The efficient structure is a tensegrity system which has an optimal complexity for min-imal mass. This optimal complexity is derived in this paper, along with deployable schemes which are useful for construction, repairs, for sun following, and for servicing. It is shown that the minimal structure naturally has deployable features so that extra mass is not needed to add the multifunctional features. The design of bridge structures with tensegrity architecture will show an optimal complexity depending only on material choices and external loads.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
