Linear elastic and limit state solutions of beam string structures by the Ritz-method

The beam string structure (BSS) has been widely applied in large span roof structures, while no analytical solutions of BSS were derived for it in the existing literature. In the first part of this paper, calculation formulas of displacement and internal forces were obtained by the Ritz-method for the most commonly used arc-shaped BSS under the vertical uniformly distributed load and the prestressing force. Then, the failure mode of BSS was proposed based on the static equilibrium. On condition the structural stability was reliable, BSS under the uniformly distributed load would fail by tensile strength failure of the string, and the beam remained in the elastic or semi-plastic range. On this basis, the limit load of BSS was given in virtue of the elastic solutions. In order to verify the linear elastic and limit state solutions proposed in this paper, three BSS modal were tested and the corresponding elastoplastic large deformation analysis was performed by the ANSYS program. The proposed failure mode of BSS was proved to be correct, and the analytical results for the linear elastic and limit state were in good agreement with the experimental and FEM results.