Buckling Test of Prestressed Arches in Centrifuge

Abstract

Buckling and postbuckling behavior of prestressed arches that make up the skeleton of a large‐size clear‐span prestressed dome under self‐weight are studied using centrifuge model testing and a nonlinear finite‐element analysis. Earth's gravity field, the main agent of instability for large‐size clear‐span enclosures, is scaled by means of centrifugal force. Prestressed arch models were attached to the swinging platform of the centrifuge, and their self‐weight was increased by accelerating the centrifuge. Deformations and buckling of the models were observed and recorded continuously via a video‐tape camera inside the centrifuge. The experimental result confirms the validity of the finite‐element analysis and suggests that the centrifuge is an effective tool to study the stability of large‐size clear‐span enclosures.