Calculation theory and experimental study of the K6 single-layer reticulated shell

A new approach named Cross-Section Method, based on membrane force transfer mechanism, for calculating internal forces of diagonal members in a single-layer reticulated shell is presented in this paper. Relevant problems in the process of calculating the internal force by Cross-Section Method are elaborated, including determination of geometric parameters of a K6 single-layer reticulated shell, establishment of equilibrium equations and analogy methods for calculating stiffness of spring supports. Stiffness matrixes of link members and the overall structure in spherical coordinates are derived based on spatial position of each member in a K6 single-layer reticulated shell. Static experiments under full-span loads and half-span loads with a 1/10 scale model of a K6 single-layer reticulated shell, adopted in a stadium located in Chiping, Shandong, were conducted. A detailed contrast of results obtained through experiments, Cross-Section Method and FEM is presented. The internal force calculated by Cross-Section Method is close to FEM results, thus verifying the membrane force transfer mechanism and applicability of Cross-Section Method in the single-layer reticulated shell. Though experimental errors are inevitable due to corrosion of some members in the model, experimental results show approximately the same tendency. Also, the results suggest that the structural behavior under half-span loads is more unfavorable compared with full-span loads.