Numerical simulation of prestressing construction of suspen-dome structure with radial spherical plain bearing.

In order to avoid friction loss of loop cable, cable-member systems with radial spherical plain bearing was induced in suspended dome which built prestress on loop cable by the rotation of strut. It differs from the traditional loop-cable prestressing method in which prestress is built through the slip of the loop cable. In this paper, the suspended dome of the Bicycle-Gymnasium for East Asian Games was taken as the research subject. Forward analysis of fonn-finding and back analysis of form-finding were carried out using ANSYS and the lofting state of the structure before tension was obtained. It is proved that back analysis is more suitable for finding lofting state of cable-member systems with radial spherical plain bearing. A mixed tension method is used according to above-mentioned analytical result, which prestresses radial cable firstly and loop cable secondly. By simulating the whole process of prestressing construction, pre-tension force and nodal displacements are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]