Nonlinear elastoplastic analysis of tensegrity systems

A procedure for the nonlinear elastoplastic analysis of tensegrity systems under static loads is presented. This procedure considers both geometric and material nonlinearities, using an updated Lagrangian formulation and a modified Newton–Raphson iterative scheme with incremental loading. The applicability of this procedure is demonstrated through the study of the elastoplastic behavior of a five module tensegrity beam. The effect of the yielding of some cable elements on the initial defined relational geometry once a tensegrity system is unloaded is outlined.