Numerical simulation demonstrates the impact of axial force-to-moment ratios on joint stiffness in tetrahedral latticed shells, highlighting the need for form-dependent rigidity criteria.
Key Points
To examine how axial force-to-moment ratios influence the rotational stiffness of six-bar tetrahedral joints and establish a classification framework for global shell stability analysis.
Evaluated the effects of member inclination angles, web forces, bolt sizes, bolt counts, and end-plate thickness using a simplified finite element joint model.
Developed an ANSYS-MATLAB co-simulation framework to incorporate non-linear joint behavior into global structural models, benchmarked against semi-refined and refined solid element models.
Conducted stability analyses across multiple structural configurations, including double curvature shallow, cylindrical, and spherical latticed shells.
Established an upper stiffness boundary defining State I behavior where the joint functions equivalently to a fully rigid connection.
Demonstrated that varying structural forms generate distinct internal joint stress states, substantially altering critical buckling loads.
Determined that joints in double curvature shallow shells can be simplified as rigid connections, whereas cylindrical and spherical configurations require specific joint criteria.