Initial shape finding and modal analyses of cyclic right-cylindrical tensegrity modules
Initial equilibrium and modal analyses of cyclic right-cylindrical tensegrity modules with an arbitrary number of stages are presented. There are m (?3) bars at each stage. The Maxwell number of the modules is 6?2m and is independent of the number of stages in the axial direction. Calladines relation reveals that there are 2m?5 infinitesimal mechanism modes. For multi-stage modules the necessary conditions for axial assembly of one-stage interior modules with the same internal element forces are investigated. One-stage modules with either congruent right-cylindrical modules or geometrically similar cone-shaped modules satisfy the necessary conditions. In this paper, the axial assembly of right-cylindrical modules with flip or quasi-flip symmetry is considered. For pre-stressed configurations, modal analyses are conducted to investigate the mode shapes of infinitesimal mechanism modes.
initial shape finding modal analyses tensegrity structures