Experimental characterization of tensairity beams

Abstract

Tensairity is a new structural concept towards a sustainable architecture, combined from struts, cables, and an airbeam. In Tensairity, each bearing component is working in the most favorable conditions: struts are only compressed, cables are only tensioned and the airbeam stabilizes the system. Thus, Tensairity beam will be much lighter than a conventional beam. The bearing capacity of this type of beam depends not only on the material property but also on the inflation pressure in the airbeam and the tension in the cable. And this tension strongly depends on the cable anchoring method. This paper presents an experimental investigation aimed to the bending of a Tensairity beam submitted to a homogeneous distributed load. Prototypes in full-scale tests of Tensairity beams will be manufactured. Effect of inflation pressure, airbeam size, and cable anchoring method to structural stiffness will be studied experimentally. The obtained experimental results are in high agreement with those of an independent theory.