Pneumatic membrane structure with pretension strip net and pretension applying method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a pneumatic membrane structure with a pretension strip net and a pretension applying method of the pneumatic membrane structure. The pneumatic membrane structure comprises a pneumatic membrane body, a foundation, the strip net, a boundary anchoring assembly and a tensioning assembly. The shape of the foundation is matched with the horizontal projection shape of the inflatable membrane body after the inflatable membrane body is inflated to be completely unfolded, and the peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body is fixed to the foundation through the boundary anchoring assembly; the strip net is arranged on the outer surface of the pneumatic membrane body and comprises a plurality of strips which are arranged in a crisscross mode, the two ends of each strip are connected with the corresponding boundary anchoring assemblies through the tensioning assemblies respectively, pretension is applied to the strips through the tensioning assemblies, and the strips are tensioned through the tensioning assemblies. And the strip net is attached to the inflatable membrane body which is inflated until the inflatable membrane body is completely unfolded. According to the invention, the stress effect of the membrane surface in the whole system can be better exerted, and the cooperative stress of the strip net and the inflatable membrane body is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inflatable membrane structure technology. More specifically, this invention relates to an inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh and a method for applying the pre-tension. Background Technology

[0002] Inflatable membrane structures, as a lightweight, large-span, and freely shaped architectural form, have been widely used in various venues such as stadiums, exhibition centers, transportation hubs, and landscape architecture. Among them, the traditional cable-membrane structure system, composed of cable nets and membrane materials, is currently the mainstream form of inflatable membrane structures. However, steel cables and architectural membrane materials differ significantly in their physical and mechanical properties, especially in their elastic modulus and coefficient of thermal expansion. Under load, the two materials deform uncoordinated, easily generating additional stress at the connection nodes, leading to localized stress concentration in the membrane material, accelerating material fatigue, and even tearing. Simultaneously, metal cable nets present significant maintenance challenges. Steel is prone to electrochemical corrosion in humid air containing corrosive media; once anti-corrosion treatment fails, it will seriously affect the safety and durability of the structure. Regular anti-corrosion coating, inspection, and maintenance are costly. Furthermore, the metal cable net has a relatively large self-weight in the entire structure, making construction complex in complex or extreme climatic environments. Furthermore, in traditional cable-membrane systems, the membrane material is primarily treated as a covering material, and its strong in-plane load-bearing potential has not been fully explored or systematically organized into the main load-bearing system. The stress path mainly relies on the cable net, resulting in the failure to maximize material efficiency. Against this backdrop, there is an urgent need for a novel inflatable membrane structure to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One object of the present invention is to solve at least the above-mentioned problems and to provide at least the advantages that will be described later.

[0004] To achieve these objectives and other advantages of the present invention, an inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh is provided, comprising: an inflatable membrane body, a foundation, strip mesh, boundary anchoring components, and a tensioning component; the shape of the foundation matches the horizontal projection shape of the inflatable membrane body after it is fully inflated, and the outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body is fixed to the foundation by the boundary anchoring components; the strip mesh is disposed on the outer surface of the inflatable membrane body, and comprises multiple strips arranged in a crisscross pattern, the two ends of the strips being respectively connected to the corresponding boundary anchoring components by the tensioning components, and pre-tension is applied to the strips by the tensioning components to make the strip mesh adhere to the inflatable membrane body after it is fully inflated.

[0005] Preferably, the strip includes a load-bearing layer and a coating covering the outside of the load-bearing layer, wherein the load-bearing layer is a polyester fiber fabric core or an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber strip, and the coating is polyvinyl chloride or polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0006] Preferably, the strip is configured as multiple layers, and the multiple strips are heat-fused together into a whole.

[0007] Preferably, the intersection of any two strips is connected by welding, hot-melt bonding or stitching.

[0008] Preferably, the intersection of any two strips is welded and then stitched together.

[0009] Preferably, the boundary anchoring assembly includes a fixing plate and a plurality of bolts, the shape of the fixing plate matching the shape of the foundation, and the plurality of bolts together fixing the outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body between the fixing plate and the foundation.

[0010] Preferably, the tensioning assembly includes a shackle-type shaft pin sensor, a screw, and a sleeve. One end of the screw is threadedly connected to the sleeve, and the other end is rotatably connected to a first mounting ring. The shackle-type shaft pin sensor is connected to the boundary anchoring assembly and the first mounting ring respectively. A fastening nut is threadedly connected to the screw. A second mounting ring connected to the strip is fixedly provided at the end of the sleeve away from the screw.

[0011] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for applying pretension to an inflatable membrane structure with a pretensioned strip mesh, comprising the following steps: S1. Prepare the strip mesh; S2. The inflatable membrane body is connected and fixed to the foundation using the boundary anchoring device, so that the ground, the foundation and the inflatable membrane body form a closed inflatable space; then the strip net is connected to the boundary anchoring component using the tensioning component. S3. After inflating the inflatable space to the set air pressure, rotate the screws corresponding to each strip so that the strip mesh initially adheres to the inflatable membrane body; S4. Read the data monitored by each of the shackle-type shaft pin sensors, fine-tune the corresponding screws until the pretension of each strip reaches the set value, and then lock the screws by the fastening nuts. This invention has at least the following beneficial effects: 1. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh and its pre-tension application method provided by the present invention are different from the traditional cable-membrane structure. The pre-tensioned strip mesh replaces the metal cable mesh in the traditional inflatable membrane structure, and the resulting inflatable membrane structure system has a greater advantage in terms of force. It can better play the role of the membrane surface in the whole system and realize the coordinated force bearing of the strip mesh and the inflatable membrane body.

[0012] 2. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh provided by the present invention has extremely strong acid and alkali resistance and corrosion resistance compared with steel cables, making it highly resistant to harsh atmospheric environments such as acids, alkalis, and salt spray, effectively reducing maintenance costs.

[0013] 3. The inflatable membrane structure with prestressed strip mesh provided by this invention has a significantly lower weight compared to steel cables, reducing the overall weight of the system. This greatly reduces the requirements for foundation and boundary anchoring structures, allowing for lightweight design and making construction processes such as transportation, hoisting, and tensioning more convenient and safer.

[0014] 4. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh provided by the present invention can monitor the tension of each strip during the operation of the inflatable membrane structure through a shackle-type shaft pin sensor, and can detect potential risks in time, effectively improving the safety of the inflatable membrane structure.

[0015] Other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will become apparent in part from the following description, and in part from those skilled in the art through study and practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh described in this invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the boundary anchoring component and the tensioning component of the present invention; Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can implement it based on the description.

[0018] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods described in the following embodiments are all conventional methods, and the reagents and materials described are all commercially available unless otherwise specified. In the description of this invention, the terms "lateral", "longitudinal", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0019] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the present invention provides an inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh, comprising: an inflatable membrane body 1, a foundation 3, strip mesh 2, a boundary anchoring component, and a tensioning component; the shape of the foundation 3 matches the horizontal projection shape of the inflatable membrane body 1 after it is fully inflated, and the outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body 1 is fixed to the foundation 3 by the boundary anchoring component; the strip mesh 2 is disposed on the outer surface of the inflatable membrane body 1, and includes multiple strips 21 arranged in a crisscross pattern, the two ends of the strips being respectively connected to the corresponding boundary anchoring component by the tensioning component, and the strips are pre-tensioned by the tensioning component so that the strip mesh 2 fits against the inflatable membrane body after it is fully inflated.

[0020] In this technical solution, the outer periphery of the inflatable membrane body 1 is fixed to the foundation 3, forming a closed inflation space between the ground, the foundation 3, and the inflatable membrane body 1. Inflation is then performed into this space until the inflatable membrane body 1 is fully deployed. The three-dimensional shape of the fully deployed inflatable membrane body 1 can be a spherical, cylindrical, or saddle-shaped curved surface, and its projection onto the horizontal plane can be rectangular, circular, elliptical, polygonal, or other irregular shapes. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, taking a capsule-shaped air-supported membrane exhibition hall as an example, the inflatable membrane structure has a major axis of 10 meters and a minor axis of 5 meters. Both ends of each strip 21 in the strip mesh 2 are pre-tensioned by the tensioning assembly. Through their own weight and pre-tension, they are tightly bonded to the outer surface of the inflatable membrane body. Under the pressure of the inflated space and external loads, the two work together through friction and contact pressure, avoiding the localized cutting effect on the membrane surface caused by traditional steel cables. The inflatable membrane body 1 uses materials commonly used in conventional inflatable membrane structures; for example, PVC-coated polyester fiber fabric membrane material can be used.

[0021] In another technical solution, the strip 21 includes a load-bearing layer and a coating covering the outside of the load-bearing layer. The load-bearing layer is a polyester fiber fabric core or an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber strip, and the coating is polyvinyl chloride or polytetrafluoroethylene. Compared with steel cables, the strip 21 has extremely strong acid and alkali resistance and corrosion resistance, making it highly resistant to harsh atmospheric environments such as acids, alkalis, and salt spray, effectively reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, since the strip 21 is made of a similar material to the inflatable membrane body 1, it has good deformation coordination and physical compatibility.

[0022] In another technical solution, the strip 21 is configured as multiple layers, and the multiple strips 21 are heat-fused together into a whole. The multiple strips 21 can be made into a stronger reinforced strip, thereby making the strip mesh 2 more load-bearing.

[0023] In another technical solution, the intersection nodes 4 of any two strips 21 are connected by welding, hot-melt bonding or sewing to ensure that multiple strips 21 are connected in a crisscross pattern to form an integral strip net 2, which can work together to transfer the load.

[0024] In another technical solution, the intersection nodes 4 of any two strips 21 are welded and then sewn together to improve the strength of the intersection nodes 4. Specifically, the sewing is carried out in a cross-shaped manner using high-strength polyester thread.

[0025] In another technical solution, the boundary anchoring assembly includes a fixing plate 5 and a plurality of bolts 6. The shape of the fixing plate 5 matches the shape of the foundation 3, and the plurality of bolts 6 together fix the outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body 1 between the fixing plate 5 and the foundation 3. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The bolt 6 passes through the foundation 3, the inflatable membrane body 1, and the fixing plate 5 in one go and is then fixed by a nut. The outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body 1 is tightly clamped between the foundation 3 and the fixing plate 5, and airtight anchoring is achieved by the clamping force generated by the bolt 6.

[0026] In another technical solution, the tensioning assembly includes a shackle-type shaft pin sensor 7, a screw 10, and a sleeve 9. One end of the screw 10 is threadedly connected to the sleeve 9, and the other end is rotatably connected to a first mounting ring 8. The shackle-type shaft pin sensor 7 is connected to the boundary anchoring assembly and the first mounting ring 8 respectively. A fastening nut is threadedly connected to the screw 10. A second mounting ring 11 connected to the strip 21 is fixedly provided at the end of the sleeve 9 away from the screw 10.

[0027] Reference Figure 2 The shackle-type pin sensor 7 is a commercially available product, such as the LZ-XK1 shackle-type pin sensor, used to connect the screw 10 and the fixing plate 5. Preferably, for ease of connection, the fixing plate 5 can adopt an L-shaped structure, with its horizontal part used to press the inflatable membrane body 1, and its vertical part having a through hole for connection with the shackle-type pin sensor 7, serving as an anchor point. The tension of the strip 21 is transmitted to the foundation 3 through the fixing plate 5. The screw 10 and the sleeve 9 constitute a tensioning structure. By rotating the screw 10, the distance between the anchor point and the end of the strip 21 is adjusted, thereby applying pretension to the strip 21. The first mounting ring 8 is sleeved on the detection part of the shackle-type pin sensor 7, which can sense and output the current pretension value of the strip in real time, and then precisely compensate or adjust the pretension by rotating the screw 10.

[0028] This invention also provides a method for applying pretension to an inflatable membrane structure with a pretensioned strip mesh, comprising the following steps: S1. Prepare the strip mesh 2; wherein, the spacing between two adjacent strips 21 in the longitudinal and transverse directions is determined by finite element optimization analysis: the longitudinal spacing and transverse spacing are used as variable parameters to establish a mechanical analysis model, and the solution is performed under the set load combination. The optimal spacing value is obtained by optimizing the maximum principal stress of the membrane surface of the inflatable membrane body 1 to be lower than its design allowable stress and the stress distribution of the membrane surface to meet the set uniformity requirements. S2. The inflatable membrane body 1 is connected and fixed to the foundation 3 using the boundary anchoring device, so that the ground, the foundation and the inflatable membrane body 1 form a closed inflatable space; then the strip net 2 is connected to the boundary anchoring component using the tensioning component. S3. After inflating the inflation space to the set air pressure, rotate the screw 10 corresponding to each strip so that the strip mesh initially adheres to the inflation membrane body 1. S4. Read the data monitored by each of the shackle-type shaft pin sensors 7, fine-tune the corresponding screw 10 until the pretension of each of the strips 21 reaches the set value, and then lock the screw 10 by the fastening nut.

[0029] The pretension setting value is obtained through finite element analysis. Specifically, a three-dimensional model of the inflatable membrane structure is established using Rhino, and morphological and load analyses are performed using ANSYS. The target pretension value is calculated to ensure the most uniform stress distribution on the surface of the inflatable membrane body 1 under the given span, curvature, and load combination, and to allow it to still work collaboratively with each of the strips 21 under unfavorable loads. Pretensioning is performed simultaneously at both ends of the same strip.

[0030] During the use of the inflatable membrane structure, dynamic monitoring is continuously performed through each of the shackle-type shaft pin sensors to ensure that under high pressure or extreme wind and snow loads, each of the strips 21 and the inflatable membrane body 1 maintain deformation coordination.

[0031] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. They can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other modifications can be easily made. Therefore, without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrations shown and described herein.

Claims

1. An inflatable membrane structure with a pre-tensioned strip mesh, characterized in that, include: The inflatable membrane body comprises a foundation, a strip mesh, a boundary anchoring assembly, and a tensioning assembly. The shape of the foundation matches the horizontal projection shape of the inflatable membrane body after it is fully inflated. The outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body is fixed to the foundation by the boundary anchoring assembly. The strip mesh is disposed on the outer surface of the inflatable membrane body and includes multiple strips arranged in a crisscross pattern. The two ends of each strip are connected to the corresponding boundary anchoring assembly by the tensioning assembly. The tensioning assembly applies pretension to the strips to make the strip mesh adhere to the inflatable membrane body after it is fully inflated.

2. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The strip includes a load-bearing layer and a coating covering the outside of the load-bearing layer. The load-bearing layer is a polyester fiber fabric core or an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber strip, and the coating is polyvinyl chloride or polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The strip is configured as multiple layers, and the multiple strips are heat-fused and pressed into a whole.

4. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The intersection of any two strips shall be connected by welding, hot melt bonding or stitching.

5. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The intersection of any two strips is welded and then stitched together.

6. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The boundary anchoring assembly includes a fixing plate and a plurality of bolts. The shape of the fixing plate matches the shape of the foundation, and the plurality of bolts together fix the outer peripheral edge of the inflatable membrane body between the fixing plate and the foundation.

7. The inflatable membrane structure with pre-tensioned strip mesh as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tensioning assembly includes a shackle-type shaft pin sensor, a screw, and a sleeve. One end of the screw is threadedly connected to the sleeve, and the other end is rotatably connected to a first mounting ring. The shackle-type shaft pin sensor is connected to the boundary anchoring assembly and the first mounting ring respectively. A fastening nut is threadedly connected to the screw. A second mounting ring connected to the strip is fixedly provided at the end of the sleeve away from the screw.

8. A method for applying pretension to an inflatable membrane structure with a pretensioned strip mesh as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Prepare the strip mesh; S2. The inflatable membrane body is connected and fixed to the foundation using the boundary anchoring device, so that the ground, the foundation and the inflatable membrane body form a closed inflatable space; then the strip net is connected to the boundary anchoring component using the tensioning component. S3. After inflating the inflatable space to the set air pressure, rotate the screws corresponding to each strip so that the strip mesh initially adheres to the inflatable membrane body; S4. Read the data monitored by each of the shackle-type shaft pin sensors, fine-tune the corresponding screw until the pretension of each strip reaches the set value, and then lock the screw by the fastening nut.

Images