... to validate the final stiffness, can only be built when the manufactured configuration is finalized. This disconnection between the initial beam models and the as-manufactured shell models means that the on-board measured curvature of the mast can be very different from that calculated with the beam model...

... involved in mast lamination are assumed to be constant in this latter model. However, stiffness increases under tension and decreases under compression (up to 30% at failure depending on the fibre type, standard modulus, intermediate modulus, etc) due to some reversible changes in the microstructure...