Structural Design And Mechanical Performance Analysis Of Umbrella-Type Deployable Antenna System

Umbrella-type deployable antenna system is a new structural concept, which is birthed from deployable antenna and radome. Antenna technology has made great development over the recent decades at home and abroad. As the shield canopy of the antenna, the radome also made significant progress. Umbrella-type deployable antenna is an innovative structural system. It works in deployed state, can be stored and transported in folded state. Umbrella-type deployable antenna has promising development and research value because of its outstanding advantages, such as deployability, retractability, mobility, good electromagnetic performance and widely application.This paper is focused on the design of umbrella-type deployable antenna, mechanical performance analysis and experimental research. It mainly contains structure and mechanism design, prestress optimization of mesh reflector, mechanical behavior under mean wind, simulation of fluctuating wind, wind-induced response analysis, theoretical study and experimental study of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tubes.Firstly, all parts of umbrella-type deployable antenna were designed according to its working principle. These parts were assembled subsequently. Deploying process and folding process was described briefly.Secondly, finite element model was built for the umbrella-type deployable antenna. Deformation of mesh reflectors was investigated thoroughly under prestress and gravity, and the value of prestress was optimized. Shape coefficient and mean wind load was calculated. Stress and displacement of the structure was analyzed under mean wind load.Thirdly, fluctuating wind load theory was employed to simulate time-history curve of wind velocity with self-coded program. Time domain method was used to analyze wind-induced response of the antenna.Finally, composite material theory was presented and strength formula of laminates was simplified. Equivalent elastic modulus formula of laminates laid by orthotropic single plies according to special ply sequences was derived. CFRP antenna tubes were tested. Elastic modulus measured by experiment and calculated via theory derivation was compared to verify the correctness of equivalent elastic modulus formula.