Pressure-Volume Coupling in Inflatable Structures

2000

Progressive Architecture, 1970

2013

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Journal of Architectural Engineering, 2003

Rigidified inflatable structures ͑RIS͒ are thin, flexible membrane structures that are pneumatically deployed. After deployment, these structures harden because of chemical or physical change of the membrane. Because of this change, or rigidification, these structures no longer require pneumatic pressure to maintain their shape. With the aim of reducing the cost and examining the feasibility of RIS structures, a new material is proposed, developed, and evaluated. This material involves the formation of a semi-interpenetrating polymer network based on polyvinyl chloride and an acrylate-based reactive plasticizer. The economical and environmental performances of RIS using this new material are assessed by means of a case study. In this study, the performance of RIS technology is compared with that of a typical wood light-frame structure in the application of a small single-family house. The study indicates that the cost of ownership in present day value for the RIS is approximately 35% less than the cost of a comparable wood light-frame structure. The study also indicates that significant environmental benefits exist with the use of RIS. These structures use significantly less in terms of resources than do wood frame structures: approximately 2 times less in materials originating from nonrenewable fossil resources, approximately 2 times less in material originating from trees, and approximately 19 times less in materials originating from inorganic resources. The study concludes by delineating various means available to further increase the economical and environmental performance of RIS technology.

This review presents the developments in inflatable structure technology that may be utilized as the basis for the construction of a space tower. Conventional construction technology is not appropriate for the construction of a space tower as traditional steel-reinforced concrete structure technology is prohibitively heavy, cumbersome and expensive. By contrast, these new emerging technologies, based on inflatable structure systems can potentially solve design, control and load carrying capacity problems. Successive developments in inflatable land structures and inflatable structures for space applications are reviewed and their applicability for the construction of a space tower is assessed.

Acta Astronautica, 2011

Inflatable technology for space applications is under continual development and advances in high strength fibers and rigidizable materials have pushed the limitations of these structures. This has lead to their application in deploying large-aperture antennas, reflectors and solar sails. However, many significant advantages can be achieved by combining inflatable structures with structural stiffeners such as tape springs. These advantages include control of the deployment path of the structure while it is inflating (a past weakness of inflatable structure designs), an increased stiffness of the structure once deployed and a reduction in the required inflation volume. Such structures have been previously constructed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory focusing on large scale booms. However, due to the high efficiency of these designs they are also appealing to small satellite systems.

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 2002

An introduction and set of guidelines for finite element dynamic modeling of nonrJgidized inflatable structur_ is provided. A two-step approach is presented, involving 1) nonHncar static pressurization of the structure and updating of the stiffness matrix and 2) ]incar normal modes analysis using the updated stiffness. Advantages of this approach are that it provides physical realism in modeling of pressure _iffening, and it maintai_ the analytical eanveniQce of a standard linear eigemolution once the stiffne_ hm been modified. Demonstration of the approach is accomplished through the creation and test verification of an inflated cylinder model using n large commercial finite dement code. Good frequency and mode shape eompm_isens are obtained with test data and previous modeling efforts, verifying the accuracy of the technique. Problems enc_ntered in the npplication of the approach, as well as their solutions, are discussed in detail.

SPIE Proceedings, 2001

Inflatable structures are effective in space applications, as they are weight, volume and cost competitive. For certain space applications, higher gains are obtained for the antennas by increasing their size. Higher gains often result in increased data throughput. These and other advantages lead to inflatable structures being considered increasingly for building large space structures. However, large inflatable structures are prone to surface errors arising from environmental factors, among others. The degradation in the performance may be reduced by active and passive control of the shape of the antennas by using appropriate sensors. In this context, piezoelectric films are used for the active and passive control. In this paper, we discuss both experimental and numerical approaches exploring piezoelectric film. In order to explore the applications of piezoelectric films, a circular diaphragm is subjected to varying pressures and displacements are measured using laser instrumentation. The effects of applying voltage on the shape of the piezoelectric film subjected to pressurization are studied. The piezoelectric film is modeled as a large displacement/large rotation geometrically nonlinear membrane undergoing small strains. This paper presents experience gained in modeling the piezoelectric film subjected to both thermal and pressure loads. The numerical results are presented in the form of graphs. The response is studied for applied steady-state temperatures for various pressurization levels. Certain thermo-structural instabilities were encountered in the modeling and the paper presents procedures used in circumventing such instabilities for the piezoelectric type of thin inflatable membranes. Introduction: Inflatable structures are increasingly being considered for space applications as they are lightweight and cost competitive when compared with conventional metal structures. When used as antennas in communications satellites, the inflatable structures yield high gains and high data throughput. Typical

The building materials that help designers or architects achieve their goal of defining and enclosing space are usually concrete, steel, glass or wood. For these materials designers have both empirical data gained from experience and at times complex calculation methods enabling them to use them in their designs in a tangible, reckonable and, consequently, almost risk-free manner. It seems obvious that creating a design with well-known building materials will lead to more or less predictable outcomes. This is a good reason for investigating a design process dealing with air-filled building-elements. Architectural structures look completely different when one employs a “building material” which has been subjected to neither detailed investigations nor sophisticated calculations. The “Smart_Air” Design Studio was devised to take a closer look at the unusual building material “air”, which we have only just begun to explore, and to make it the centre of a focused design exercise. The objective was to use “air”, or, rather, pneumatic technologies, to arrive at structurally sound solutions for enclosing space, which could be considered to be a “roof” in the widest sense of the term.

2005

Different types of construction techniques can be traced back to Egyptian times around 4000 B.C. Since that time, construction techniques and materials have developed and evolved to the modern techniques we utilize today. In this modern world new architectural techniques are coming into existence very rapidly. In Pakistan engineers and architects have also started the application of these modern techniques into buildings. But as Pakistan is not considered a developed country yet, so there are a very few examples of the buildings which are built considering the modern architectural concepts. The major reason of this deficiency of architecture based buildings is the high cost of the construction which includes the cost of labor and construction materials like concrete and steel. Due to this high cost the construction companies normally hesitate to take up any high budget project unless they get some heavy sponsor for that. So they prefer to construct simple structures. A popular way to hold this high cost of construction down is to use air to hold the roof in place instead of using concrete and steel. This basic technique is referred to as pneumatic construction and the structures formed are called as pneumatic structures. Air is cheaper than most other materials when it comes to structural strength. This air can support a covering of fabric or plastic that will withstand the elements. The major objective of this project is to create awareness of pneumatic structures in Pakistan as a new architectural technique and its application for civil engineering and military purposes. We have taken a step forward towards this technique of roof construction and we hope that our this very project will be very beneficial for the field of Civil Engineering as well as it will create awareness about pneumatic structures in Pakistan and we expect that its application will be started soon in Pakistan.