Twist Angle

Read here about an abstract quality of tensegrity structures, the twist angle.

Overview

In general, a twist angle is a angular displacement about an axis. Its nomenclature is represented by the conventional theta. A twist angle has magnitude and direction. Twist angles feature in tensegrity prisms.

T-Prisms and Twist Angles

A tensegrity prism is a simple tensegrity structure that can feature any number of struts greater than two. See prism.

Such a t-prism can be imagined as being enclosed in a cylinder of height h and diameter d. The tendons at the prism ends outline polygons. The two polygons, at extreme ends of the prism, are rotated in relation to one another. The angle of this rotation is the twist angle.

In tensegrity prisms or pyramids, there is always a twist angle (a) between both bases, depending on the number of sides or struts of the system (n), following the formula a = 90º - 180º / n. [2]

Photo Gallery

You can see t-prisms in the "counting strut" pages, particularly 3 Struts, 4 Struts, 5 struts.

Links and References

[2] New configurations for double-layer tensegrity grids, by Gómez-Jáuregui, Otero, Arias, Manchado