THE MINIMAL SURFACE ANALYSIS OF CABLE-NETS AND FABRIC STRUCTURES

Mathematic minimal surface is a surface of minimal area under prescribed boundary condition. Engineering minimal surface, however, refers to a surface of minimal energy with some mechanic attributes. In this paper, the strain and stress equations of cable net model for equivalent stress membrane analysis are developed and the minimal energy surface of cable and membrane structures is analyzed. The mechanic attributes and different boundary conditions of two available minimal surfaces, equivalent force density surface and equivalent tension surface, are compared.