TENSILE STRUCTURES

S.SHIFA FAZNA 3rd b.arch 2009-2014

INTRODUCTION
A tensile structure is a construction of elements carrying only tension and no compression or bending. The term tensile should not be confused with tensegrity, which is a structural form with both tension and compression elements. Most tensile structures are supported by some form of compression or bending elements, such as masts (as in The O2, formerly the Millennium Dome), compression rings or beams. Tensile membrane structures are most often used as roofs as they can economically and attractively span large distances.

HISTORY
This form of construction has only become more rigorously analyzed and widespread in large structures in the latter part of the twentieth century. Tensile structures have long been used in tents, where the guy ropes provide pretension to the fabric and allow it to withstand loads.

TYPES OF TENSILE STRUCTURE

Cable supported structures The tensile loads are transferred into adjoining structures. They generate large lateral loads and may require additional reinforcement in existing structure. Steel cables are effective members of the roof structure itself , the cables themselves resist the variations external loads. Cable stayed structures Cables stabilize compression members (ex. typical light weight canopy with masts and cable tie backs) and serve only as tension members. Cables may only be used to suspend the structure, which would transmit the tensile forces to appropriate anchorages.

MATERIALS
Uncoated fabrics Simple woven fibers Canvas, nylon Coated fabrics High strength woven fibers with coatings to prevent uv-and environmental degradation and improve weather resistance. Pvc-coated polyester, relatively short service life. Ptfe-coated glass fiber ,high strength ,long service life. Foils Pvc and etfc foils

POINT SUPPORTS
Masts capable of resisting compression and buckling forces. The magnitude of forces at the point support require distribution via rings or umbrellas.

CLASSES OF TENSILE STRUCTURES Membranes

The structural membrane acts also as the weather shield. . Cable nets A separate grid or structural cables supports a non structural weather shield.

Pneumatics
The tension force created by an interior positive pressure and the membrane acts as the weather shield.

SHAPES Anticlastic surfaces

the centers of curvature of the membrane are on opposite sides of the membrane .example- hyperbolic paraboloid, torus

Synclastic surfaces
the centers of curvature of the membrane are on the same side of the membrane. Example-sphere or balloon

DEFORMATIONS

The membrane can only resist forces in tension, so forces perpendicular to the membrane cause large deformations and large membrane forces. Tensile roofs are susceptible to vibration reverse curvature and or prestressing can bring these forces to zero.

DETAILS

Foundations
Its generally preferable if they cast holding down bolts in for us, as they have exceptional holding capacity, and incorporate some tolerance for improved ease of installation. In other cases, we can drill the concrete ourselves and fit chemical anchors, but these dont have the capacity to match holding down bolts.

Base Plates
These often require triangular stiffening plates. Its important to know where finished ground level will be and what will be the make up of that level (eg bricks/paviors/slabs/tarmac). You may need to lower the foundations to make the installation of the finished surfaces easier.

Double Shear Connection

This is the strongest way to join a spar to a column with a pinned/bolted connection. The size of the pin/bolt determines the overall size of the connecting plates. If you were to use just two single plates, the pin/bolt would be in single shear and would need to be substantially larger.

Spigot Connection
A good way to join two tubes at full strength for a moment connection. An advantage is that internal drainage or cabling can be arranged through the connection.

Halving Joint
Another method to form a moment connection between two members in line with each other. This has the advantage of being installable in locations where a spigot connection would be impossible to fit.

Cleats or Lugs
These are designed and sized according to the loads they are subject to. Some may be subject to tension, some to compression, and some to both, so all structural specifications for the cleat size and amount of weld must be strictly adhered to during fabrication.

Telescopic Strut
These are usually used as either the main tensioning device, or to build in some tolerance to the whole structural design. The steelwork is accurately fabricated to enable correct installation without sticking so that tensioning and adjustment can be easily carried out on site.

Head ring

Most conical shaped membranes are attached to a steel fabrication at the top called a head ring. As with all other components, it is sized to accommodate the high loads imposed on it by the fabric. The fabric is normally clamped to the outside face. All sorts of designs and features can be incorporated into the details; in particular the use of a clear covering dome is ideal when full rain protection is required.

Boundary Pocket

This is the pocket formed on a curved scalloped edge of a membrane to house the boundary cable. They can be formed by either turning the fabric back on itself, or by adding a premade pocket strip.

Roped Edge
This could be the key to tensioned fabric. By turning the fabric back on itself, and welding in a rope, a perimeter detail is formed that can either be clamped or slid into a slot....

Extrusion
What a great invention for fabric, aluminum extrusions.....All sorts abound, but some standard ones prove the most versatile. They have calculable loading capacities so that structural engineers can use them confidently for high fabric tensions. Easily fitted on site, they can be powder coated to match the supporting steelwork. They generally need to be fixed at short intervals to a main structural element, such as a column, beam or strut.

Membrane Plate
The membrane plate is a vital component of nearly all tensile structures. It serves two main purposes: firstly, to clamp onto the corner of the fabric to enable the fabric to be pulled tight, and secondly, to hold the ends of the boundary cables that run in the fabric edge pockets. All of these combined loadings are effectively transferred through the membrane plate into the supporting steel structure. Membrane plates can also act as drainage points, in conjunction with up stands on the fabric.

Extrusion Membrane Plate

The extrusion membrane plate serves the same purposes as a normal free membrane plate, but it is designed to fit into an extrusion to enable a sliding fit for tensioning. Smaller canopies use very simple plate details whereas larger canopies are likely to need additional supporting structure to prevent the membrane plate from pulling out of the extrusion.

Rigging Hardware
Cables are typically terminated with either a threaded stud, or a fork end. The jointing process for stainless steel cables is known as swaging, which produces a very slim line and high strength connection that will exceed the breaking strain of the cable.

COSTS
As a very rough rule of thumb fabric structures are nearly always cheaper than planar glazing and more expensive than polycarbonate solutions.

They really come into their own in large span structures such as the Millennium Dome where the ratio of fabric to steel results in considerable savings over more conventional structures.
For smaller structures under 100m2 they can be relatively design intensive, however there are often pre-engineered solutions which can fit a tight budget.

Some details

INTERIORS
Office areas as a false ceiling element to diffuse light

As a display in exhibition areas

As a partition in area like restaurants

ATRIUMS

These tensile structure elements can also be used to accentuate the big atriums

BRIDGES

Tensile structure element acting as top covered background element

AUDITORIUMS

The tensile structure in folded plate form spans large auditorium space without any support

OPEN AIR THEATERS

Can act as a temporary roof covering in such areas in during day

STADIUMS
The tensile structure shading sitting areas and large pavilions in stadiums

SWIMMING POOL
Acting as a temporary shading device providing efficient lighting conditions in such big areas

ROOF TOPS

CANOPIES , COVERED PATHWAYS