A SELF-STRESS MAINTENING FOLDING TENSEGRITY SYSTEM BY FINITE MECHANISM ACTIVATION

摘要

As a general rule, the folding of tensegrity systems occurs by removing and/or keeping self-stress in the structure. In this article, we will concentrate on the folding of tensegrity systems which keeps self-stress throughout the folding process. Finite mechanisms are used for this folding procedure, and the stability of the various members is ensured by self-stress effect within the structure throughout the process (this has been verified by real scaled models and computer aided simulations). The results found have demonstrated that one can act on part of the structure without affecting the structure as a whole. It is therefore possible to fold the grid as a whole or in part. The study of the fundamental folding characteristics has enabled us generalize this process to other tensegrity grids with double curvature, when some finite mechanisms can be activated.