Design of Deployable Domes using Scissors Elements

Abstract

Deployable structures are a subset of adaptive structures. The former are transformable from a compact configuration to an expanded configuration and vice-versa, while the latter having the ability to adapt their shape, properties and behavior depending on external stimuli such as temperature, light, natural calamities, among others. Deployable structures have applications both in terrestrial and outer-space architecture. They possess useful characteristics such as transformability, lightweightness, rapid assembly and disassembly, ease of transportation, and material reuse. My current research is focused on axisymmetric deployable domes. There are three parts to the problem, 1. geometrical, 2. mechanical and 3. structural. This image illustrates the geometry of transformation of an onion shaped dome constructed using angulated scissors elements. Each layer of the dome has scissors elements of different L and θ that were calculated using formulas that we derived from kinematic analysis. Using the formulas developed, we have generated a series of dome forms for various applications.