Kinematic Synthesis of Deployable-Foldable Truss Structures Using Graph Theory, Part 2: Generation of Deployable Truss Module Design Concepts

Abstract

A special type of truss structures, called truss modules, is presented. Graphs of this class of structures form a subset of the graphs that are generated using the approach presented in Part 1. Two procedures are presented that are applied to recognize these graphs among graphs of truss structures. The procedures also generate information on the relative lengths of the links in a truss module by examining the graph it represents. This enables the generation of numerous novel (deployable) truss modules as well as those that have been reported in the literature. Promising alternatives to existing designs are identified.