Negative Gaussian Curvature Cable Dome and Its Feasible Prestress Design

Abstract

This paper proposes a negative Gaussian curvature cable dome and examines its feasibility. First, the paper studies its configuration and demonstrates that it satisfies the original definition of the cable dome in geometric concept. Second, the paper studies the feasible prestress of this new form of cable dome and provides a Newton iteration method and a simple displacement superposition to update prestress and geometry, respectively. Next, the paper builds an illustrative numerical model and determines its feasible prestress after changing its geometry using the proposed method. Last, its static advantage is compared with the corresponding Geiger dome and cable net structure, and its modal properties are analyzed. The results indicate that this new form is feasible not only in geometric concept but also in mechanical concept, and the method proposed in the paper is efficient and accurate for the design of feasible prestress for this new form. The negative Gaussian curvature cable dome has better rigidity than the corresponding cable net structure and better stability than the Geiger dome.