Study on Strong Earthquake Failure of Single-Layer Spherical Reticulated Shell Structures with Central Suspended Equipment

In recent years, there have been more and more engineering examples of installing giant suspended equipment (e.g., central suspended LED display) in large-span space structures; however, there are fewer studies on the seismic response and strong-seismic failure process of large-span space structures after the addition of central suspended equipment. In this paper, changes in the nodal displacements of the reticulated shell structure before and after the addition of the central suspended equipment, the proportion and distribution characteristics of the plastic shell members, and the strong seismic deformation of the reticulated shell structures are taken as indexes under the different ground motions. This paper analyses the influence characteristics of the suspended equipment on the seismic response of Kiewitt K-8 single-layer spherical reticulated shell structures and reveals the influence laws of suspended equipment with different masses on the displacement of mounting nodes and the nodes in other rings in the reticulated shell structure. Based on the plastic degree development analysis of the structures under strong ground motion, the paper analyses the failure mechanism of the reticulated shell structures with central suspended equipment and summarizes two typical failure modes. The paper analyses the influence laws and characteristics of different factors (span, rise-to-span ratio, different seismic loads and the length of suspended cables) on the seismic response of the reticulated shell structures with central suspended equipment.