Pretension simulation and experiment of a negative Gaussian curvature cable dome

This paper proposes a new pretension simulation algorithm and examines the pretension feasibility for a new type of cable dome: a negative Gaussian curvature cable dome. First, the paper gives a pretension simulation algorithm based on the fuzzy relationship between the prestress and internal force. Second, a negative Gaussian curvature cable dome is proposed and the corresponding experimental model is designed and pretensioned according to the simulation results from the proposed simulation algorithm. The results indicate that the pretension simulation algorithm is efficient and accurate for simulating the pretension process and guiding the practical pretension. And the results also confirm that the negative Gaussian curvature cable dome can be pretensioned successfully, thus it can be constructed as a new type of cable dome.