A novel system and related methods for sequentially deploying, in automated or semi-automated fashion, a strip of a plurality of truss bays with integral solar panels from a moving carrier onto a surface being traversed, resulting in a long, contiguous truss structure laid upon on the surface. The solar panels are angled at a predetermined orientation for solar operation at the deployment location. The carrier is easily and quickly reloaded with another set of truss bays for repeated deployment of a series of strips of solar truss structures in a solar array. The solar array thus is constructed in substantially less time and with substantially less labor that conventional support racking in the filed using prior art piece-wise assembly operations.

A node structure (12, 14) for connecting two or more convergent members (16, 26) of a lattice frame to each other and to one or more other members of the lattice frame. The node structure (12, 14) comprises a pair of opposed spaced-apart faces (30) that are substantially planar and substantially parallel to each other. At least one pair of root formations (32) with respective central longitudinal axes define an interior angle between them, those axes diverging outwardly for alignment with respective members of the lattice frame and converging inwardly between the faces (30). An inner connecting wall (34) between the root formations (32) of the pair connects concave-curved inner edges (36) of the faces and extends in a concave curve around the interior angle to join the root formations (32) of that pair.

In one aspect, a smart corner is provided that can be prefabricated. The smart corner comprises a rear side including a first hole, a first side including a second hole, a second side including a third hole, and a top. A wall frame is also provided. The wall frame includes a top plate, a bottom plate, studs, and four smart corners. A framing system is also provided comprising at least two wall frames. The at least two wall frames connect via the smart corners.

A mechanism for connecting two beams comprises a left beam and a right beam. The left beam is formed by an upper cross bar, a lower cross bar, and a vertical plate, the vertical plate has a width greater than a width of the upper cross bar and a width of the lower cross bar, the vertical plate has two edges protruding laterally away from the upper cross bar and the lower cross bar; the right beam has a vertical socket for receiving the vertical plate, the vertical socket is connected to the upper cross bar and to the lower cross bar, the vertical socket has two opposing curled lateral edges protruding laterally away from the upper cross bar and the lower cross bar, the two protruding edges of the vertical plate are inserted between the two opposite curled edges of the vertical socket.

A building structure includes a core extending upright through and supporting the weight of one or more stories of the building structure, each story including one or more floor units, at least one story forming an outer peripheral portion, and an inner support portion through which the story is supported by the core via an interface along the perimeter of the core, wherein the horizontal cross-section of the core has a substantially circular external perimeter at the level of the interface, the interface and the inner support portion of the story, wherein at least one story is stiffened by a space frame extending from the inner support portion to the outer peripheral portion and making the story a self-supporting rigid body cantilevered off the core and structurally independent of all other stories, wherein the story transmits gravity-induced loads to the core via the interface only by means of vertical forces.

A building technique uses standard shipping containers as buttresses to support a truss system that may extend between the shipping containers to provide a roof. A sliding connector system attaches the trusses to the shipping containers to accommodate variations in separation of the shipping containers presenting a versatile framing system that is insensitive to site-related variations. The sliding connector system provides incremental predetermined fastening of the trusses to the shipping containers.

Tensegrity structures and methods of constructing tensegrity structures of three-dimensional tensegrity lattices formed from truncated octahedron elementary cells. Space-tiling translational symmetry is achieved by performing recursive reflection operations on the elementary cells. This topology exhibiting unprecedented static and dynamic mechanical properties.

A strut-and-node truss design that is applicable to all space frame structure designs can be made with using robotic (semi-autonomous and/or fully autonomous) or telerobotic assembly/joining. Nodes can include a 2-dimensional weld path in an effort to reduce the complexity of having to weld in 3-dimensions. Furthermore, each strut to node connection can be concentrated in a small area where each weld can be performed robotically from a fixed position that only requires the robotic weld head to swivel in a small operating window to reach each joint.

A connector assembly, having an upper connector coupled to a lower connector and a gusset plate sandwiched between the upper and lower connectors. Also, disclosed is a hoistable connector assembly, a lifting frame assembly, a coupling system for modular frame units, a method for assembling a module unit using the connector assembly, and a modular frame unit and building having the connector assembly.

A clearspan structure including component systems, and methods of forming a clearspan structure including component systems, for mitigating hazards to personnel or equipment from explosions, fires, toxic material release, and other hazards in hazardous locations. The exemplary clearspan structure is also capable of withstanding environmental conditions such as snow loads and wind. The exemplary clearspan structure is, for example, a tent or fabric structure which includes a plurality of frame members forming a support system for the clearspan structure, and fabric roof portions and walls for enclosing the clearspan structure.