MONOPTEC Corporation retained Dames & Moore's Earthquake/Structural Engineering Group (acquired by URS) to assess the feasibility of constructing the dome by studying the stability of its structural system and its capability to carry and distribute forces and stress throughout its body. They performed 3-dimensional finite element analyses of the dome using shell members both with and without meridian beams. The results of their analysis showed that because of the shape of the FSD, which is almost a complete sphere without rectangular opening, it is very efficient in resisting and distributing the forces due to gravity, temperature, and wind and its structure is economical and feasible to construct.


Features:
* For telescopes from 0.75 meters to 8 meters
* Advanced composite shell with high strength-to-weight ratio
* Extreme environment specifications (wind, snow, ice, and earthquake)
* Ultra low vibration for enhanced telescope stability
* Unmanned (remote) operation, fail-safe vent and shutter closure
* Optimized thermal performance through insulated composite shell
* Fully integrated with telescope and observatory software via LAN
* Modular construction for minimum site costs

 

 
 
   

All Rights Reserved Copyright © MONOPTEC - 2013