Applicability Study on Method of Stability Analysis for Suspendome Structures

Consistent Mode Imperfections Method based on eigenvalue buckling mode is widely adopted in the stability analysis for the spatial steel structures with initial geometrical imperfections, i.e. latticed shells, thin shells, etc. Taking the new type hybrid structure of suspendome as the analytical object, the applicability of Consistent Mode Imperfections Method is discussed. The effects on structural stability are probed arisen by the factors such as different initial reference loads and different order eigenvalue buckling modes. It is indicated that this stability analysis method can be quite fit for the spatial structures such as latticed shells, while for suspendomes, the initial reference load has a distinct effect upon the analytical result obtained by the stability analysis method. Moreover, it is not always to dominate calculating result when selecting the first order eigenvalue buckling mode as the distributing pattern of initial geometrical imperfections. As a result, some measures should be taken to improve the accuracy in evaluating the stability bearing capacity of the structures with Consistent Mode Imperfections Method based on eigenvalue buckling mode.