Computational Methods for Tension-Loaded Structures

This paper deals with tension loaded structures made of coated woven fabric, cables and rigid frames such as mats and hoops. It describes in details a general framework for modelling and numerical simulation of their mechanical behavior. Several methods, developped in these last decades, are presented and compared. The principal particularity of these structures is that they derive their stiffness and their stability from the surface geometry and tensile stress field coupling. This particularity is combined with nonlinearities which can be due to possible large deflections, material law behavior and local instabilities due to wrinkling effects. In addition, a great number of design parameters must be taken into account in order to optimize the mechanical behavior of the structure. Therefore, the design and the analysis of such structure are complex and involve extensive computational costs. The principal steps of the analysis process are: form-finding, structural response of the structure to loads, cutting pattern and optimization. In this work, after a short description of the methods developed in this field as well as a critical comparison, new approaches are proposed.