Fastening member for reticulated structure

A reticulated structure comprising a network of straight elongate structural members rigidly interconnected at structural nodes, at least one of said members comprising a straight elongate element serially interconnected with a load responsive means which at working loads axially applied to the member is rigid and which at a desired predetermined load, in excess of said working loads, axially applied to the member becomes plastically deformable said predetermined load being less than the critical load of said member when rigidly supported at its ends.

A structural member capable of being employed in reticulated structures comprising:

• a relatively slender structural element;
• at least one end connector means affixed to said structural element to form a structural member for attachment to other structural members, said end connector means including connecting element means, being normally rigid and fabricated so as to be capable of plastic deformation at or near the critical region of loading of the structural element so as to permit the formation of a plastic hinge in the connecting element means, the critical region of loading being determined for an axially loaded member of perfect geometry supported by ideal hinges.

A connector for use between structural elements in a reticulated structure comprising:

• a normally rigid quasi-pin joint connector connected to a structural element;
• node means for connecting at least one structural element through a quasi-pin joint connector to another structural element;
• said quasi-pin joint connector being selected of preselected materials and dimensioned so as to be plastically deformable and rotatable at or near the critical region of loading of the structural element the critical region of loading being determined for an axially loaded member of perfect geometry supported by ideal hinges.

A structural system consisting at least in part of relatively slender members comprising;

• a plurality of structural member means;
• and
• connector means for connecting such structural member means and including node means and pin means wherein said pin means is connected to at least one structural member means and at least one node means, and said pin means being comprised of materials in a size and shape to be capable of plastic deformation and a degree of rotation at or near the critical region of loading of said structural member means, the critical region of loading being determined for an axially loaded member of perfect geometry supported by ideal hinges.

A reticulated structure comprising a plurality of structural members connected together wherein a preselected number of the connectors contain quasi-pin joints designed to form plastic hinges at or near the critical region of loading of the structure, the critical region of loading being determined for an axially loaded member of perfect geometry supported by ideal hinges.

A rigid reticulated structure comprising a plurality of straight elongate structural members interconnected by a plurality of nodal connecting elements wherein at least one of said members incorporates normally rigid means which at a desired predetermined load, axially applied to said at least one said member, reaches a magnitude of stress permitting plastic deformation of said means thereby to relieve said stress, said load representing a loading of said structure greater than normal working loading thereof while being low enough to permit controlled deformation of said structure rather than sudden catastrophic collapse thereof.