Insights on the vibration characteristics of double-layer cable nets of D4h symmetry

Coupling shallow cable nets into multi-layer configurations offers the possibility of altering the vibration properties of single-layer systems in a beneficial way. When members of appropriate stiffness and damping characteristics are employed as coupling devices, there will be a dynamic interaction between the motions of the layers, with the combined system expected to exhibit a higher stiffness and damping response than the individual layers. Vertical coupling of two identical single-layer cable nets of C-4v symmetry results in a double-layer configuration of D-4h symmetry, the vertical motions of which are strongly influenced by the symmetry properties of the configuration as well as the stiffness and damping properties of the coupling members. By considering a 32-node double-layer cable net as a case study, the present investigation employs group theory to reveal important insights on the vibration characteristics of cable nets of the type in question, at the same time laying out a computational framework for an efficient vibration analysis of such systems. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.