Design and analysis of a self-supporting bamboo roof structure applying flexible connections

Proceedings of the IASS Symposium, Creativity in Structural Design, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA, 2018. Clique para acessar >>

M. Seixas; L.E. Moreira; J. Bina; J.L.M. Ripper

Resumo: The present study investigates a mobile textile bamboo roof structure applying flexible connections. This ultralight structural system built with modular space frames, tensile pantographic grids and lashed joints in polyester ropes and biocomposites, presents a self-supporting behavior. Prefabricated hinged lashed connections (HLC) designed for the structure present a deployable mechanism, free of torsion stresses in the bamboo bars. The study presents research results on the structural design and analysis of the developed self-supporting bamboo structure for the tropical climate. Nonlinear analysis using the finite element method (FEM) presents forces applied in the structure. Static loading patterns for wind loads were investigated and showed that forces can be safety absorbable by the structural members. A numerical model, physical models and full-scale prototypes, simultaneously, investigated the complex mechanical behavior of the bamboo structure, drafting its overall operation and introducing design guidelines.