Stress matrices and global rigidity of frameworks on surfaces

In 2005, Bob Connelly showed that a generic framework in \bR^d is globally rigid if it has a stress matrix of maximum possible rank, and that this sufficient condition for generic global rigidity is preserved by the 1-extension operation. His results gave a key step in the characterisation of generic global rigidity in the plane. We extend these results to frameworks on surfaces in \bR^3. For a framework on a family of concentric cylinders, cones or ellipsoids, we show that there is a natural surface stress matrix arising from assigning edge and vertex weights to the framework, in equilibrium at each vertex. In the case of cylinders and ellipsoids, we show that having a maximum rank stress matrix is sufficient to guarantee generic global rigidity on the surface. We then show that this sufficient condition for generic global rigidity is preserved under 1-extension and use this to make progress on the problem of characterising generic global rigidity on the cylinder.Comment: Significant changes due to an error in the proof of Theorem 5.1 in the previous version which we have only been able to resolve for 'generic' surface

On universally rigid frameworks on the line

A $d$-dimensional bar-and-joint framework $(G,p)$ with underlying graph $G$ is called universally rigid if all realizations of $G$ with the same edge lengths, in all dimensions, are congruent to $(G,p)$. We give a complete characterization of universally rigid one-dimensional bar-and-joint frameworks in general position with a complete bipartite underlying graph. We show that the only bipartite graph for which all generic $d$-dimensional realizations are universally rigid is the complete graph on two vertices, for all $d\geq 1$. We also discuss several open questions concerning generically universally rigid graphs and the universal rigidity of general frameworks on the line.

On affine rigidity

We define the notion of affine rigidity of a hypergraph and prove a variety of fundamental results for this notion. First, we show that affine rigidity can be determined by the rank of a specific matrix which implies that affine rigidity is a generic property of the hypergraph.Then we prove that if a graph is is $(d+1)$-vertex-connected, then it must be "generically neighborhood affinely rigid" in $d$-dimensional space. This implies that if a graph is $(d+1)$-vertex-connected then any generic framework of its squared graph must be universally rigid. Our results, and affine rigidity more generally, have natural applications in point registration and localization, as well as connections to manifold learning.Comment: Updated abstrac

Graph connectivity and universal rigidity of bar frameworks

Let $G$ be a graph on $n$ nodes. In this note, we prove that if $G$ is $(r+1)$-vertex connected, $1 \leq r \leq n-2$, then there exists a configuration $p$ in general position in $R^r$ such that the bar framework $(G,p)$ is universally rigid. The proof is constructive and is based on a theorem by Lovasz et al concerning orthogonal representations and connectivity of graphs [12,13].Comment: updated versio

Coning, symmetry and spherical frameworks

In this paper, we combine separate works on (a) the transfer of infinitesimal rigidity results from an Euclidean space to the next higher dimension by coning, (b) the further transfer of these results to spherical space via associated rigidity matrices, and (c) the prediction of finite motions from symmetric infinitesimal motions at regular points of the symmetry-derived orbit rigidity matrix. Each of these techniques is reworked and simplified to apply across several metrics, including the Minkowskian metric \M^{d} and the hyperbolic metric \H^{d}. This leads to a set of new results transferring infinitesimal and finite motions associated with corresponding symmetric frameworks among \E^{d}, cones in $E^{d+1}$, \SS^{d}, \M^{d}, and \H^{d}. We also consider the further extensions associated with the other Cayley-Klein geometries overlaid on the shared underlying projective geometry.Comment: 38 pages, 7 figure

Growing super stable tensegrity frameworks

This paper discusses methods for growing tensegrity frameworks akin to what are now known as Henneberg constructions, which apply to bar-joint frameworks. In particular, the paper presents tensegrity framework versions of the three key Henneberg constructions of vertex addition, edge splitting and framework merging (whereby separate frameworks are combined into a larger framework). This is done for super stable tensegrity frameworks in an ambient two or three-dimensional space. We start with the operation of adding a new vertex to an original super stable tensegrity framework, named vertex addition. We prove that the new tensegrity framework can be super stable as well if the new vertex is attached to the original framework by an appropriate number of members, which include struts or cables, with suitably assigned stresses. Edge splitting can be secured in R2 (R3) by adding a vertex joined to three (four) existing vertices, two of which are connected by a member, and then removing that member. This procedure, with appropriate selection of struts or cables, preserves super-stability. In d dimensional ambient space, merging two super stable frameworks sharing at least d + 1 vertices that are in general positions, we show that the resulting tensegrity framework is still super stable. Based on these results, we further investigate the strategies of merging two super stable tensegrity frameworks in IRd; (d 2 f2; 3g)that share fewer than d + 1 vertices, and show how they may be merged through the insertion of struts or cables as appropriate between the two structures, with a super stable structure resulting from the merge