Experimental and theoretival evaluations on deployment behavior of inflatable boom elements

Deployment behavior of inflatable boom elements with Zigzag and modified Zigzag folding patterns is experimentally and theoretically investigated in this paper. As for experimental approach, the stable deployment of modified zigzag folding pattern is demonstrated, and the relation between stable and unstable deployment behavior is considered by focusing on the relation between air pressure/flow rate and the shape of folding line during deployment. As for theoretical approach, folding process and deployment behavior are simulated using commercially available code, PAM-CRACH and PAM-SAFE. To create the folding lines from the zero stress condition of the analytical inflatable boom models, the stress distribution and the shape of folding line is considered, and taking over the results of folding analyses, the deployment behavior of inflatable boom models with and without stress condition are compared by using Finite Point-set Method (FPM). Sequential deployment behavior which is difficult to replicate Uniform Pressure Method is calculated and the relation between inlet air flow and deployment behavior are discussed though the deployment analysis results.