A Study of Quasi-Static and Dynamic Analyses of a Hexakis Icosahedron Frame for Use in a Vacuum Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle

摘要

This research discusses the comparison of an icosahedron and hexakis icosahedron frame for use in a vacuum lighter than air vehicle (VLTAV). This was accomplished by subjecting the frames to three different load rates (4.05 MPa/s, 5.066 MPa/s, and 8.106 MPa/s) as well as two different boundary conditions for a total of six different load cases. Abaqus Finite Element (FE) software was used to develop a 0.3048m diameter model of each frame assuming a weight-to-buoancy (W/B) ratio of 0.9 and material properties of Beryllium. This FE model will later be used to analyze th dynamic properties (eigenvalues and eigenvectors) of the two frames. Quasi-static load rates applied to the frame revealed that the hexakis icosahedron was less chaotic for all load cases except for a load rate of 5.066 MPa/s under a symmetric boundary condition. A 0.1778m diameter model of the hexakis icosahedron frame was additively manufactured on a Stratasys Objet500 Connex3 3D printer using VeroWhitePlus material. The eigenvalues of this frame will later be extracted using a laser vibrometer to study the additive manufacturing process as well as approximate the material properties of the VeroWhitePlus material.