Geometric and Material Nonlinear Analysis of Square-Based Tensegrity Ring Structures

Modeling with a combined geometric and material nonlinear analysis is described in this paper and applied to tensegrity rings representing the last generation of the tensegrity systems. The resulting algorithm model is new; it takes into account slackening and yielding of cables. The usual Newton-Raphson iterative method is used, but in an updated Lagrangian formulation. The response of an isolated and an assembly of several square-based ring cells subjected to different types of loads has been investigated by means of nodal displacements. It is shown that the tensegrity rings are less flexible as compared to the classical tensegrity systems. Special attention is paid to the influence of the slackening and yielding of cables on the total nonlinear behavior. It has been found that their combination in a nonlinear analysis model is important for a better understanding of the response of tensegrity rings.