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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/F022182/1
Title: Nonlinear Mechanics and Design of Prestressed Stayed Struts
Principal Investigator: Wadee, Professor MA
Other Investigators:
Hobbs, Professor R Gardner, Professor L
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Flint and Neill Spinlock Ltd Tension Technology International Ltd
Department: Civil & Environmental Engineering
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 06 October 2008 Ends: 05 October 2011 Value (£): 412,681
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Civil Engineering Materials Structural Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Construction
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
20 Nov 2007 Engineering Science (Components) Panel Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
This project aims to investigate the behaviour of a structural member designed to withstand compressive loads constructed from steel and stiffened by tensioned fibre cables. This type of prestressed strut is only a fairly recent innovation and has been employed in the construction of concert stadia where its efficiency along with its aesthetic quality demonstrates its potential for much wider usage. Currently, however, the available design procedures for this type of component are largely based on small-displacement assumptions; this may be reasonable for some simple configurations, but optimization of this structural form may become dangerous if the implications of these assumptions are not appreciated - complex interactions between potential modes of failure can lead to highly unstable structural responses being missed by the designers if the structural analysis assumes the existence solely of small-displacements.In this project the intention is to examine the response of such structures in the laboratory and compare these results with parallel developments in mathematical and numerical models. These new models will primarily assume large-displacement behaviour with the aim that the strut can be designed safely and configurations likely to prove troublesome, by being sensitive to initial imperfections in construction, can be robustly avoided. Therefore, development of rational design guidance will be the key final outcome of the project.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
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Project URL: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/structures/research/mechanics/stability/prestressed
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk