Deployable Cylindrical Vaults With Reciprocal Linkages for Emergency Buildings

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUG[Abstract] Deployable bar structures are especially useful for emergency buildings. These structures require simplicity and ease of assembly and their performance can be improve by using reciprocal linkage at their bars ends. This reciprocal configuration determines singular constructive conditions that allow all types of cylindrical vaults. This article develops this new system, from a previously theoretical analysis to a test campaign that allows verifying the validity of the proposal. Comparing these results with those resulting from construction systems with straight scissor-like elements or imposed curvature, shows the adequacy of this new proposal, verifying the advantages of the reciprocal joints in cylindrical vaults configurations.This study is part of the research project “Deployable and modular constructions for situations of humanitarian catastrophe”, funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Kingdom of Spain with reference BIA2016-79459-R. Funding for open access charge: Universidade da Coruña/CISU

An Automated Structural Optimisation Methodology for Scissor Structures Using a Genetic Algorithm

We developed a fully automated multiobjective optimisation framework using genetic algorithms to generate a range of optimal barrel vault scissor structures. Compared to other optimisation methods, genetic algorithms are more robust and efficient when dealing with multiobjective optimisation problems and provide a better view of the search space while reducing the chance to be stuck in a local minimum. The novelty of this work is the application and validation (using metrics) of genetic algorithms for the shape and size optimisation of scissor structures, which has not been done so far for two objectives. We tested the feasibility and capacity of the methodology by optimising a 6 m span barrel vault to weight and compactness and by obtaining optimal solutions in an efficient way using NSGA-II. This paper presents the framework and the results of the case study. The in-depth analysis of the influence of the optimisation variables on the results yields new insights which can help in making choices with regard to the design variables, the constraints, and the number of individuals and generations in order to obtain efficiently a trade-off of optimal solutions.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe