Performance improvement of inflatable boom structures using shape memory alloy wire actuators

Abstract

The inflatable boom is a fundamental structural part of inflatable space structures such as in antenna, sunshield, and solar sail applications. After the appropriate deployment, this structural part maintains the expected configuration of the whole system, supporting external loads and affecting the efficiency of the membrane surface. However, the membrane structures can be easily distorted and even collapsed by wrinkling which can be generated by many different reasons such as material deterioration, thermal effect, and vibration. In this study, the behavior of inflatable boom structure is investigated numerically and experimentally. To achieve a better performance, the methodology to control the wrinkling growth and deformed configuration of the inflatable boom structure with shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuator is developed. For understanding the nonlinear behaviors of an inflatable boom due to wrinkling, the structure is modeled using ABAQUS finite element program with wrinkling algorithm. The numerical algorithm of wrinkling is developed based on the Miller-Hedgepeth membrane model. The experimental model of inflatable booms is made of Kapton film. To characterize the nonlinear behaviors of inflatable booms, the bending tests for various internal pressures are performed by experimentally and numerically. To delay the growth of wrinkling which rapidly deteriorates the structural performance of inflatable boom, SMA wire actuator is applied. SMA wires are attached on the surface of inflatable boom and generate recovery force to remove wrinkling region and restore the deformation of the boom.