Spacelink demountable PGRP truss joint

这项研究将开发和测试一种新的接头，用于建筑沃伦，豪和普拉特桁架拉挤玻璃钢盒和管。Spacelink接头不使用金属，因此可以仅用坚固的复合材料建造非常轻的桁架和龙门架。接头由1/4圈组件制成，允许快速组装和拆卸。可实现节省空间的紧凑型交付。不腐蚀的复合桁架将能够经济地取代钢和铝桁架。更好的热性能将避免金属结构中的热桥接，从而节省能源。新的连接件将使可拆卸的全复合桁架和矩形龙门架的建造成为可能，其应用包括轻型桥梁、大跨度屋顶、配电结构、临时结构、运输和基础设施。接头制造可以自动化，低成本的拉挤玻璃钢盒和管的广泛可用性意味着复合结构可以在成本、减轻重量、节省能源和耐腐蚀方面与金属竞争。

The study will develop and test a novel joint to be used for building Warren, Howe and Pratt trusses out of pultruded GRP box and tube. The Spacelink joint uses no metal, so that very light trusses and gantries can be built from strong composites alone. The joint is made by a ¼ turn component, allowing rapid assembly and disassembly. Disassembly allows space-saving, compact delivery. Composite trusses that do not corrode, will be able to replace steel and aluminium trusses, economically. Better thermal properties will avoid thermal bridging in metal structures, saving energy.The new joint will enable the construction of demountable, all-composite trusses and rectangular gantries for applications which include lightweight bridges, long span roofs, electrical distribution structures, temporary structures, transport and infrastructure. Joint manufacture can be automated and the wide availability of low-cost pultruded GRP box and tube means that composite structures can compete with metals on cost, saving weight, saving energy and resisting corrosion.