Cable-membrane Contact Analysis Of Air-supported Membrane Structures

The inflatable membrane structure is a kind of innovative structure form, relying on the development of building technology and material science, and mixing together architecture and art. With abundant artistic design, light weight, high strength, self-cleaning, transparency, and many other advantages, it is widely used in a variety of buildings and building envelops. In this paper, the cable-membrane contact analysis provides valuable data and suggestions for the actual engineering application.The development of the inflatable membrane structure, structure forms, characteristics, and material properties of the membrane and cable are introduced. The engineering application and research advancement of the inflatable membrane structure are reviewed. The operating principle and analysis theory of the inflatable membrane structure are clarified. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the cable-membrane surface friction contact model is established by ANSYS.By changing pressure, friction coefficient and membrane thickness, the cable-membrane contact of the initial form of air-supported membrane structures is analyzed. The contact model and the common node model are also compared with each other. Results show that the cable can increase the structural stiffness and enhance the overall stability of the structure. Reasonable internal pressure ensures that the cable and the membrane surface have good distributed pre-stress. Membrane thickness produces different effects on the results of contact analysis, which should be taken into account in the membrane structure design. The contact model is better than the common node model.Flexible membrane structure has the characteristic of strong geometric nonlinearity. And the relative sliding between cable and membrane will occur under loads. With the change of wind loads, wind direction, wind speed, pressure and friction coefficient, the cable-mernbrane contact of air-supported membrane structures is analyzed. The effect of self-weight is also calculated. Results show that the cable can be effective in preventing the membrane from opening, tearing and other damage. Cable on the windward side has no prominent effect on resisting wind loads. Reasonable internal pressure can be effective to maintain structural form and resist external loads and the influence of different friction coefficients on cable axial force and contact analysis cannot be ignored.