Wrinkling characteristic analysis of a conical inflated cantilever beam under bending

A conical inflated cantilever beam is the major load-carrying framework of space inflatable membrane structures. The local wrinkling is the crucial factor resulting in reducing load-carrying abilities of the inflatable structures. Wrinkling characteristics of a conical inflated cantilever beam under bending is analyzed based upon the membrane theory. The predictions of wrinkling characteristic parameters are performed by using the wrinkling stress criteria. The rules of the initial wrinkling location and the wrinkling critical force versus the ratio of both ends of the conical inflated cantilever beam are obtained and they are also verified by our numerical results. The conclusions drew in this paper are the important supporting references on the predictions of the load-carrying ability of space inflatable membrane structures.