Determination of a unique configuration of free-form tensegrity structures

A numerical method is presented for form-finding of free-form tensegrity structures. The topology and an initial randomly generated force density vector are the required information in the present form-finding process. An approach of defining a unique configuration of free-form tensegrity structures by specifying an independent set of nodal coordinates is rigorously provided, which means that the geometrical and mechanical properties of the structure can be at least partly controlled by the proposed method. Several numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and robustness in searching new self-equilibrium stable free-form configurations of tensegrity structures.