An Experimental and Analytical Investigation on a Newly Developed Truncated Hexahedron Connector

Objective: The objective of thisresearch work is to investigate the performance of a newly developed Truncated Hexahedron (THH) connector by analytical and experimental studies, and assess its suitability for space grid structures. Method/Analysis: The newly developed THH connector has been modeled in Finite Element Analysis Software - ANSYS and analyzed under uniaxial tension. Experimental studies on a real scale THH connector has been conducted with strain gauges attached on faces of the connector in form of three-element rectangular rosette. The maximum principal stresses on the surface of the connector obtained from ANSYS analysis have been compared with the experimentally obtained maximum principal stresses. Findings: The present study evaluates the principal stresses of the THH connector subjected to axial tensile loading by conducting analytical (ANSYS software) and experimental studies.Further, tolerable resemblance was observed in values of analytically and experimentally obtained maximum principal stresses on the surface of the connector. Hence, this validates the ANSYS model for the THH connector, which may be useful for evaluating the allowable load on the connector. The analytical studies conducted for different magnitude of vertical loading in double layer grid indicates linear variation of maximum principal stresses with the increase in the magnitude of loading. The newly developed THH connector has advantage of less length of web members in double layer or multilayer space grids as compared to MERO connectors, which will reduce the total weight of space grids. Novelty/Improvement: This study opens up possibility of resorting to a new compatible connector for space grid structures, which can easily be manufactured due to simple geometry, making it comparatively cheaper.