Spacelink demountable PGRP truss joint

这项研究将开发和测试一种新型节点，用于用拉挤玻璃钢箱和管建造Warren、Howe和Pratt桁架。Spacelink接头不使用金属，因此仅用坚固的复合材料就可以建造非常轻的桁架和门架。接头由1/4圈的部件组成，允许快速拆装。拆卸可以节省空间，交付紧凑。不会腐蚀的组合桁架将能够在经济上取代钢和铝桁架。更好的热性能将避免金属结构中的热桥，从而节省能源。新的节点将能够建造可拆卸的全组合桁架和矩形门架，应用领域包括轻型桥梁、大跨度屋顶、配电结构、临时结构、交通和基础设施。连接制造可以自动化，低成本拉挤玻璃钢盒子和管材的广泛应用意味着复合材料结构可以在成本、节省重量、节能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.