STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE FRAMING SYSTEM OF A PROPOSED LUNAR/MARTIAN INFLATABLE STRUCTURE

摘要

The previously described "tuft pillow" lunar/Martian inflatable structure provides the structural efficiency of a membrane-based pressure vessel design with the "cube-like" space-use efficiency of a terrestrial room. A framing system of cylindrical arches and columns ties together the spherical and prismoidal shapes of the wall, floor and roof units. Two framing options are examined: 1) rigid thin walled tubes and 2) pressurized membrane tubes. Because of the geometry of this "tuft pillow" structure, it is not an ideal tensile structure and modifications are required to minimize wrinkling in the membrane elements. This paper describes the addition of arch and column webs and column tie-downs to make this pressure membrane structure more efficient.