Assessment of Tensegrity Structures: Static, Dynamic, and Dynamic Stability Analysis

Dynamic stability analysis enables the determination of unstable regions, which adversely affect a structure's durability. Unlike conventional cable-strut frameworks, tensegrity structures are characterized by a system of internal forces that hold the elements in stable equilibrium, so the initial prestress crucially affects the distribution of unstable regions. This book presents both theoretical background and examples to make a full qualitative and quantitative assessment of these structures possible. First, a geometrically non-linear model and the methods used to evaluate the behavior of tensegrity structures are explained, before a broad spectrum of different planar and spatial design solutions is considered. The book moves step-by-step from the simplest two-dimensional structure, for which solutions can be presented in explicit form, to more complex tensegrity structures such as domes, towers, and plates.