Wang Xiantie

Experimental research and finite element analysis on new joint of reticulated shells

Publisher Summary The chapter presents a new cylinder joint for single-layer lattice shells. Full-scale experiments of joints are conducted in the chapter. The ultimate load carrying capacity of a joint is analyzed by using the finite element program ANSYS. The results of experiments and finite element analysis (FEA) show that a new cylinder joint has a good compression behavior. The most widely used joints are welded hollow spherical joints and bolted spherical joints, but they have drawbacks too. The chapter also explains that the thickness of wall had a great influence on the compression load bearing capacity of a new cylinder joint. Planar and unilateral behavior of a new cylinder joint is also studied in the chapter.