Postbuckling Echoes of iMRA Introduced Variation in Gridshells Mechanical Behaviour

The collapse of a structure serves as a profound testament to its design quality. Forensic studies in structural engineering have revealed that collapses are intricate events with various interconnected metrics. The introduction of resilience and robustness concepts has revolutionized structural engineering, surpassing the conventional approach of designing for maximum load. This paradigm shift is especially crucial for shells and membranes. Postbuckling investigation emerged as a significant area of study since 1970, offering insights into shell design and stability. This paper focuses on the effect of the improved Multibody Rope Approach (i-MRA) for form finding on the postbuckling behaviour of gridshell structures. The i-MRA exhibits superior postbuckling behaviour, which directly relates to the method’s underlying mechanics. The investigation centres around the mosque roofing in Dakar, Senegal. A comprehensive analysis was conducted, encompassing linear buckling analysis and geometrically nonlinear analysis with imperfections (GNIA) under incremental loading. The study successfully captured crucial insights into the behaviour of the structure throughout both the buckling and postbuckling phases. Additionally, a standard square-plan gridshell was analyzed to validate the findings and evaluate their generality. The research findings demonstrate the efficacy of the i-MRA and provide valuable insights for the design and stability assessment of gridshell structures.