Abstract
This paper proposed a form-finding analysis method of the grid shells that formed by applying forced displacement to the grid plate, which is composed by connecting some rods with pinned joints on the ground. The forced displacement is decided by the optimization technique, so that the equilibrium shape of the grid plate precisely approximates the curved surface shape demanded by designers. The setup of this optimization problem and its formulation are described in detail. In the numerical example, various curved surfaces are formed from one grid plate by the proposed method. Furthermore the model experiment is conducted, and it is confirmed that the curved surfaces obtained by the proposed method can be actually formed. The deformation form and stress distribution of the grid plate are measured and they are compared with numerical results. Through these results, the effectiveness of the proposed method is shown.
