Plastic-forming experiment and numerical analysis of right angled trapezoid ETFE cushions

Abstract:

Plastic-forming based on plat-patterning is applicable to ETFE cushions owing to good plasticity property of ETFE foils. Two right angled trapezoidal ETFE cushion models are designed and manufactured. Cushion forming and cyclic inflating-deflating tests of the two ETFE cushion models are carried out by employing a pressure control system. Vertical displacements on the lower surface are measured by laser displacement transducer. The results indicate that rise-to-span ratios of the two cushions are respectively 1/9.4 and 1/10.3 under the condition that the maximum internal pressure of plastic-forming is 2kPa. In addition, the ETFE foils are strengthen during the forming process the. A multi-linear elastic-plastic model with isotropic hardening in ANSYS is employed in numerical analyses of the forming and cyclic inflating-deflating processes, and the results are compared with the experimental data.