Design of shaped offset cable mesh reflector antennas considering structural flexible property

Abstract

Contoured beams are required in the next design period of cable mesh reflector antennas. This study presents a new approach for synthesising contoured beams by integrated structural‐electromagnetic optimisation concept. A multidisciplinary optimisation model is established from the viewpoint of interaction between structural and electromagnetic disciplines. The structural parameters are directly optimised to produce contoured beams. To consider the structural flexible property, sensitivity analysis of radiation pattern with respect to surface nodal displacements and further to structural parameters is performed in the approach. With both the information of structural and electromagnetic sensitivities, the optimisation model is expanded and solved by a sequential linear programming. Simulation results of a contoured beam covering the continental United States (CONUS) verify its effectiveness.