Aerodynamic performance and dynamic stability in nano-enhanced sport stadium roofs

The research being undertaken focuses on studying the effects of using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) which are nano-enhanced materials, applied to sport stadium roof systems, and how they perform aerodynamically and affect the dynamic stability characteristics of those structures. A structural model was created using the parabolic shear deformation theory (PSDT). A refinement to the transverse shear strain function has been made that accurately represents the effect of shear deformation without using shear correction factors. The coupled governing equations of motion that define fluid-structure interaction (FSI) under high-velocity flow conditions were derived using Hamilton's principle. The Krumhaar modification to the supersonic piston method was used to provide a robust yet analytically traceable means by which to determine unsteady aerodynamic pressure on roof geometry subjected to high wind loads or transient aerodynamic disturbances. The resulting P.D.E.s will be discretized using the differential quadrature method (DQM), which employs Lagrange interpolating polynomials expressed in terms of Chebyshev polynomial root interpolation to enhance numeric stability and convergence of DQM. This discretization method will allow for accurate evaluation of spatial derivatives using a smaller computational grid, allowing for effective parametric studies on complex roof shapes. The effects of the volume fraction of CNT reinforcement, distribution patterns and orientation are explored in order to quantify improvements in terms of stiffness, aeroelastic resistance, and flutter limits. The study shows that CNT reinforced composite roofs have much higher aerodynamic damping values and higher critical dynamic instability limits than traditional laminates. Moreover, PSDT based modeling indicates a significant sensitivity of transverse shear on the flutter onset, particularly for large span curved roofs that are common for modern stadiums. The overall methodology presented in this study integrates state-of-the-art nanoscale material modeling with high-fidelity aeroelastic analysis and provides a comprehensive method for optimising lightweight, durable and aerodynamically stable stadium roof systems for the next generation of sports facilities.