Equivalent Stiffness Model for Glass–Glass Photovoltaic Modules in Cable-Suspended Photovoltaic Systems

Guanhao Hong and Haiwei Xu ()
Additional contact information
Guanhao Hong: Institute of Structural Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Haiwei Xu: Institute of Structural Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Cable-suspended photovoltaic (PV) systems have gained traction due to their lightweight structure and adaptability to complex terrains. However, the wind-induced vibration behavior of these systems, particularly the contribution of glass–glass PV modules to structural stiffness, remains inadequately addressed in current design codes. This study presents a comprehensive finite element analysis to investigate the mechanical role of glass–glass PV modules in cable-suspended PV systems. A high-fidelity model (HFM) capturing detailed structural features of the PV module is established and used as a reference to develop an equivalent stiffness model (ESM). Through modal decomposition under wind excitation, it is shown that module deformation primarily manifests as torsion, which significantly contributes to the overall stiffness of the support structure. Comparative simulations reveal that conventional modeling approaches, including the inaccurate simplified model (ISM), overestimate stiffness, potentially compromising structural safety. The ESM, by accurately replicating the HFM’s torsional response, enables efficient and reliable wind-induced vibration analysis. The results also indicate that modules at the cable span edges experience greater torsional deformation, especially under suction forces, highlighting a critical zone for structural reinforcement.

Keywords: cable-suspended PV system; glass–glass PV module; equivalent stiffness model; wind-induced vibration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2854/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/11/2854/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:11:p:2854-:d:1668034

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().