The objective of this study is to estimate the mechanical characteristics and nonlinear behaviors on the geometric nonlinear analysis of curved cable-membrane roof systems for long span lightweight roof structures. The weight of a cable-membrane roof dramatically can reduce, but the single layer cable-membrane roof systems are too flexible and difficult to achieve the required structural stiffness. A curved cable roof system with reverse curvature works more effectively as a load bearing system, the pretension of cables can easily increase the structural stiffness. The curved cable roof system can transmit vertical loads in up and downward direction, and work effectively as a load bearing structure to resists self-weights, snow and wind loads. The nonlinear behavior and mechanical characteristics of a cable roof system has greatly an affect by the sag and pretension. This paper is carried out analyzing and comparing the tensile forces and deflection of curved roof systems by vertical loads. The elements for analysis uses a tension only cable element and a triangular membrane element with 3 degree of freedom in each node. The authors will show that the curved cable-membrane roof system with reverse curvature is a very lightweight and small deformation roof for external loads.

It is often hard to obtain analytical solutions of boundary value problems of shells. Introducing some approximations into the governing equations may allow us to get analytical solutions of boundary value problems. Instead of an analytical procedure, we can apply a numerical method to the governing equations. Since the governing equations of shells of revolution under symmetric load are expressed by ordinary differential equations, a numerical solution of ordinary differential equations is applicable to solve the equations. In this paper, the governing equations of orthotropic spherical shells under symmetric load are derived from the classical theory based on differential geometry, and the analysis is numerically carried out by computer program of Runge-Kutta methods. The numerical results are compared to the solutions of a commercial analysis program, SAP2000, and show good agreement.

The purpose of this paper is to study the buckling characteristics of elliptical latticed domes under conservative loading conditions. The latticed domes are usually designed in geometrically spherical shape. For this type of latticed domes, many researchers have researched and even the simplified estimation codes for the buckling load level have been available. However, geometrically elliptical latticed domes have been often constructed, and show different buckling characteristics following with geometrical parameters as rise-to-span ratio and so on. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the general tendency of buckling characteristics of the elliptical latticed domes. In this paper, to find out some buckling characteristics of elliptical latticed domes, height, boundary configuration and gap are used as the shape coefficients. For each model with different parameters, the eigen values and the buckling loads are evaluated.

The basic systems of spatial structures such as shells, membranes, cable-nets and tensegrity structures have been developed to create the large spaces without column. But there are some difficulties concerning structural stability, surface formation and construction method. Tensegrity systems are flexible structures which are reticulated spatial structures composed of compressive members and cables. The rigidification of tensegrity systems is related to selfstress states which can be achieved only when geometrical and mechanical requirements are simultaneously satisfied. In this paper, the force density method allowing form-finding for tensegrity systems is presented. And various modules of unit-structures are investigated and discussed using the force density method. Also, a model of double-layered single curvature arch with quadruplex using supplementary cable is presented.

The structural behaviors of anisotropic laminated shells are quite different from that of isotropic shells, Also, the classical theory of shells based on neglecting transverse shear deformation is invalid for laminated shells. Thus, to obtain the more exact behavior of laminated shells, effects of shear deformation should be considered in the analysis. As the length of x-axis or y-axis is increase, the effects of transverse shear deformation are decrease because the stiffness for the axis according to the increasing of length is large gradually. In this paper, the governing equations for anisotropic laminated shallow shell including the effects of shear deformation are derived. And then, by using Navier's solutions for shallow shells having simple supported boundary, extensive numerical studies for anisotropic laminated shallow shells were made to investigate the effects of shear deformation for 3 typical shells. Also, static analysis is carried out for cross-ply laminated shells considering the effects of various geometrical parameters, e,g., the shallowness ratio, the thickness ratio and the ratio of a(length of x-axis)-to-b(length of y-axis). The results are compared with existed one and show good agreement.