Seixas, Luis;
Comitti, Alessandro;
Penasa, Massimo;
Bosi, Federico;
(2024)
Characterisation and Modelling of ETFE Membranes for Tensile Structures.
In:
Proceedings of the IASS 2024 Symposium: Redefining the Art of Structural Design.
IASS: Zurich, Switzerland.
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Abstract
The energy transition requires the reduction of emissions in the building industry, for which new and sustainable technologies are required to overcome the environmental footprint of construction. One of the most promising materials for roofing and facades is the semi-crystalline polymer ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), typically produced as lightweight structural membranes. However, the lack of a comprehensive viscoelastoplastic model and a reliable time and temperature-dependent yield criterion hinders its use among designers. An experimental campaign performed within the EU H2020 MSCA LIGHTEN program has enabled the mechanical characterisation of ETFE. Uniaxial properties were investigated across a range of temperatures spanning from -20 to 60°C, at different strain rates (0.01 to 1%/s). Based on Schapery’s approach, a viscoelastic model was developed through the compliance master curves built using the time-temperature superposition principle. Furthermore, a time-temperature dependent yield model, integrated into the von Mises criterion, was developed to estimate ETFE’s onset of plasticity, thus allowing the prediction of different yield loci under varying thermo-mechanical loading conditions. The validation of the ETFE material model and yield criterion against independently acquired data demonstrated very good agreement with experimental data, providing a solid foundation for developing safer and more efficient ETFE building designs.
| Type: | Proceedings paper |
|---|---|
| Title: | Characterisation and Modelling of ETFE Membranes for Tensile Structures |
| Event: | IASS 2024 |
| Location: | Zurich, Switzerland |
| Dates: | 26 Aug 2024 - 30 Sep 2024 |
| Publisher version: | https://app.iass2024.org/files/IASS_2024_Paper_237... |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | ETFE, Membrane structures, Viscoelasticity, Yield criterion, Experimental characterisation, Numerical implementation |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Mechanical Engineering |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10197776 |
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