SIMULATION OF THE DEPLOYMENT PROCESS OF MULTIUNIT DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURES ON A CRAY-2

Deployable structures are prefabricated space frames consisting of straight members that can be stored in a compact, folded configuration and can be easily deployed into a large-volume, load-bearing configuration. A new type of deployable structure offers the further advantage of being stable and stress-free in both of these two limiting configurations. During the deployment process, however, geometric incompatibilities cause a nonlinear response and a snap-through type of behavior. Numerical simulation of this phase is a crucial part of designing such structures. This article illustrates how the finite element program ADINA and the supercomputing capabilities of the CRAY-2 were used to simulate the deployment process. This example is used to highlight the impact of continuously developing software and hardware technology on engineering design.