Laboratory Testing: Expo02 Tensegrity

Case study: SOFO System

Tensegrity monitoring
Smart Structure
Active control

Project Description

Summary: Geometrical deformation on Tensegrity structure scale models

Clients: Expo, 02

Place: Grancia (Switzerland)

Period: 1998 - N/A

Installation: IMM SA

Structure's short description: Tensegrity structures are based on a network of element working in pure compression or traction. In this experiment, star-shaped tensegrity modules composed of steel tubes and ropes were tested under different types of loading and pre-stressing.

Aim of monitoring: SOFO sensors were installed on all elements (tubes and ropes) to monitor their deformations when the structures was pre-stressed and under load applied at different locations.

Number of sensor: 66

Main Results: The Measurements resulted in a better understanding of the complicated behavior of these structures. It was found that by low pre-stressing values, the response of the structure is highly non-linear, while for higher pre-stresses it behaves more and more linearly

Tensegrity structure for testing

Bibliography:

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