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Tensairity, an Extra-Light Weight Structure for Airships

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Advances in Visualization and Optimization Techniques for Multidisciplinary Research

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering ((LNME))

Abstract

Heavy payload airships and non-conventional shape airships require a rigid keel to maintain their shape under loading. The keel increases the structural weight, decreasing the payload capacity of the airship. A potential solution to maintain a light structural weight is to apply Tensairity as structural elements for an airship keel. Tensairity is a novel lightweight structure, which consists of a reinforced inflatable beam. A first demonstrator was publicly presented in 2002 by Pedretti, Luchsinger et al., and consisted of a car bridge. Since then, the concept is under continuous development, principally in the civil engineering domain. In this chapter, the potential of applying Tensairity as structural elements for an airships’ keel has been assessed by comparing the weight of a Tensairity frame to the weight of an I-beam frame. It is significant to mention that we can find in literature the comparison of Tensairity beams and conventional beams weight, but the differences on loading conditions, type of structural element (frame instead of beam) and scale do not allow a correlation. After developing the necessary numerical model, a large Tensairity frame has been sized. We show that we can obtain an airship weight, which is eight times lower dimensioned against stress, strain and buckling. However, the buckling results are preliminary and should be validated experimentally. Considering the mentioned conclusions, we have identified Tensairity as a novel technology with large potential for the Lighter Than Air (LTA) vehicles application, making possible hull sizes and geometries, which are not possible to be constructed nowadays.

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Abbreviations

b :

Strut section width

e :

Fabric thickness

E :

Young modulus

E fabric :

Fabric Young’s modulus

E strut :

Strut Young’s modulus

h :

Strut section height

I fabric :

Fabric moment of inertia

I strut :

Strut moment of inertia

I z :

Beam moment of inertia

k b :

Buckling constant for Tensairity frames

l :

Column’s length

n xx :

Membrane tension on the x-axis

n yy :

Membrane tension on the x-axis

p :

Pressure

P buckling :

Euler critical load

p cr :

Critical overpressure

p dist :

Distributed pressure

q :

Distributed load

q buckling :

Euler critical distributed load

r :

Section radius

R :

Frame radius

S :

Beam’s cross-section area

S fabric :

Fabric’s cross-section area

S struts :

Strut’s cross-section area

y :

Distance to the beam section centre

y in :

Vertical distance of the inlet mid-section to the origin

y+:

Dimensionless wall distance

ν :

Poisson’s ratio

ρ :

Fluid density

θ :

Thrust angle

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Acknowledgements

The presented work in this paper was performed as part of the Multibody Advanced Airship for Transport (MAAT) project, supported by European Commission through the 7th Framework Programme, and which is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 3D Printing R&D Engineer at Idneo Technologies, Barcelona, Spain

    Anna Suñol

  2. Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Dean Vučinić

Authors
  1. Anna Suñol
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  2. Dean Vučinić
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna Suñol .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Vesalius College (VeCo), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium

    Dean Vucinic

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói—Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Fabiana Rodrigues Leta

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, SCMS School of Engineering and Technology, Karukutty, Ernakulam, Kerala, India

    Sheeja Janardhanan

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Suñol, A., Vučinić, D. (2020). Tensairity, an Extra-Light Weight Structure for Airships. In: Vucinic, D., Rodrigues Leta, F., Janardhanan, S. (eds) Advances in Visualization and Optimization Techniques for Multidisciplinary Research. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9806-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9806-3_6

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-9806-3

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