Tension line fields in a simply supported blanket subjected to in-plane body forces
Recent renewed interest in tension field theory is due to the intended use of large plastic blankets as load-carrying substrate for solar power collection arrays. Such substrates are used on spacecraft that extend their solar panels on the transfer orbit from low-earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit, and are consequently subjected to acceleration during apogee engine firing, with the inertial force's component in the plane of the blanket leading to the formation of wrinkles. The present paper contains a fundamental study, with experiments, of the wrinkling patterns of a simply supported blanket of uniform thickness, pretensioned in longitudinal direction, and subject to uniform loading in transverse direction. 5 references.
- Research Organization:
- Toronto Univ., Canada
- OSTI ID:
- 5583097
- Journal Information:
- J. Spacecr. Rockets; (United States), Vol. 22
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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