Study on Control Criteria of Cable Length of Annular Crossed Cable-Truss Structure Based on Sensitive Analysis

Annular crossed cable-truss structure (ACCTS) is a novel flexible cable-strut tensile structure. Its stiffness is generated from the prestresses of cables, and the prestresses of cables is mostly controlled by the deformation of cables. So, it is necessary to study the influence of cable length errors on ACCTS and the method of solving control criteria of cable length errors. According to sensitive analysis of cable length errors, the sensitive indexes of all kinds of cables are gained, and the influences of ear-plate and cable on ACCTS are larger and the influences of struts on ACCTS are smaller. Then define ear-plate and cable as sensitivity components, and define strut as non-sensitivity component. Based on sensitive analysis, reliability theory and nonlinear programming theory, the method solving control criteria of cable length errors for ACCTS is proposed. By the method, the control criteria of cable length errors under 4 conditions are studied. The model trial of sensitive analysis of ACCTS with a diameter of 6 m was carried out. The results show that the influences of cable length manufacturing errors on ACCTS are solved by sensitive analysis and the proposed method. The distribution of control criteria of cable length errors is uniform, and can meet the requirements of China and US Codes. The trial values are consistent with the simulation values. The results provide the acceptance criteria for ACCTS, which promotes the application of ACCTS in practical engineering.