MODEL LOADING EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH ON NEW ERROR-ADJUSTABLE SUSPEN-DOME STRUCTURES

Suspen-dome is a kind of structural system, which is composed of an upper shell structure and a lower cable-strut system. The initial installation deviation of upper shell joints is an important factor affecting the mechanical behavior of suspen-dome structures. Therefore, the concept of a multi-way error-adjustable joint is developed. The members connected to this joint are allowed to be adjusted in the horizontal, vertical and member-axial directions. In this way, the spatial coordinates of joints can be adjusted. The configuration of a multi-way error-adjustable joint is desigined for suspen-dome structures. A step loading test is conducted for this joint. Results show that the joint is always in the elastic state throughout a loading process, indicating that the proposed joint is safe and reliable. A suspend-dome model of 3-m-span with proposed multi-way error-adjustable joints is constructed. The installation and adjustment procedures for this kind of joints are presented. A step loading test is respectively conducted under adjusted and unadjusted conditions. Results show that after adjustment, the measured displacement is smaller, the force distribution is more uniform, and the load-displacement relation and load-force relation are closer to linear. Then the mechanical performance of the structure can be improved.