Texas A&M Univ IDEAS² researchers explored the influence of cubic nonlinear strings on bandgap formation in tensegrity space structures. They investigated nonlinear wave propagation in a weakly nonlinear tensegrity lattice using two distinct methods:
- Perturbation method
- Harmonic balance method (HBM)
They also examined the effect of amplitude and nonlinearity type (hardening or softening). Numerical results obtained via HBM and perturbation were found to be in excellent agreement with experimental tests.
These findings have been documented in a manuscript entitled “Bandgap Formation in Periodic Tensegrity Structures with Material Nonlinearity,” which is now complete and will be submitted soon.