Long Span Structures

Ar. Preeti Pawar - Kale

 Vector Active Structures
• There is a structure consisting of linear members
joined together with hinge joints in which
members develop either axial compression or
tension but no bending , this type of structures
are known as Vector active structures.
• Vector Active System :
1. Plane Trusses -Flat trusses, Curved Trusses,
Open Web Joist,
2. Space Trusses.
W – Load
R – Reaction
 Characteristics of Vector Active
Structures:
• Members of vector active structure develop only axial
compression or tension and resist the same full cross –
section comes into play, hence they need very small
cross –section as compared to bulk active structures.
Thereby self weights of these structures is very less and
ideally suitable for long span structures.
• Loads are applied at joints (nodes) only because of thin
cross- section, members are not suitable for bending
stress.
• Being strong both in compression and tension , timber
and steel are suitable materials for vector active
system.
 Plane Trusses
• A plane trusses is used as one
way spanning element and
requires less volume of material
as compared to space truss.
• It can only resist forces lying in
the same plane as itself.
• The basic repetitive module is a
simple triangle.
• The joints are in form of pin
connection.
• Material – steel
• It does not have lateral stability,
it gets lateral stability from
purlins.
 Flat Trusess
• All members and nodes lies within a
2D plane consist of straight members
connected at joints. No member is
continuous through a joint.
• Where forces tend to pull the member
apart, its in tension and when it
compresses it is in compression.
• Application – in building, to support
roofs and floors, to span large
distances and carry relatively light
loads. In road and rail bridges, for
short and intermediate spans and in
footbridges.
 Curved Trusses
• Curved Trusses are
trusses which are used to
give a particular form to
the building.
• The material mostly used
is steel for such
construction.
• Form is not organic but is
in section.
 Open Web Joist
• A parallel chord truss supported at ends can
also be looked upon as a perforated I beam,
whose top chord goes under compression and
the bottom chord is under tension when the
truss is loaded.
• Used in roofs.
 Space Frame
• Space frames are useful when
used to form two way system.
• These are also efficient when
trusses are used in free standing
way without beam like
transmission towers etc.
• It can resist force in any plane.
• The basic repetitive module is
tetrahedron.
• All joints are in the form of pinned
connections.
• This truss extents into a third
dimension and covers an area.
 Space Trusses or Space Frames
• Space Frame is a truss – like ,
lightweight rigid structure
constructed from interlocking
struts in a geometric pattern.
• Space frames usually utilize a
multi directional span, and are
often used to accomplish long
spans with few supports.
• Strength is from triangular frame.
• Bending moments are
transmitted as a tension and
compression loads along the
length of each strut.
 Form Active Structures
• Structures which support external forces and
self weight on account of particular form given
to their material are known as Form Active
Structures or Single Stress Condition
Structures and are classified in two types:
Cable Structure (Tensile Structure)
Arches ( Compression Structures)
Tent Structure
Pneumatic Structures.
 Cable Structures (Tensile Structures)
• Cable structures are long span structures,
subjected to tension and use suspension cables
for supporting the loads.
• Cable structures are highly efficient because of
their large strength to weight ratio.
• Cable structure includes:
1. Cable suspension bridges
2. Cable stayed roofs over large areas
3. Bicycle roof
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Inverted Barrel Roof with Vertical Columns:
1. It is the simplest roof and consist of series of cables suspended
from end columns.
2. Cables are connected by straight beams there by creating inverted
barrel surface on which roofing material is supported.
3. To avoid fluttering of roof under the action of wind the roofing
material must be heavy.
4. Columns resist the entire horizontal thrust of cable by acting like a
cantilever beam projecting out of the ground.
5. Significant bending is induced in column and to absorb the same,
column cross section at bottom should be fairly large.
6. Foundation of column should also be designed to resist the over
turning moment.
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Inverted Barrel Roof with Vertical Columns and Guy
Cable
1. In this case cables instead of being suspended from
top of columns passes over a pulley fixed to the top of
column and are anchored to ground.
2. The cables between the column and ground anchor is
known as Guy Cable.
3. Anchorage provided for Guy Cable is designed to
resist the horizontal force in cable.
4. Angle of cable on either side of column is kept equal
to avoid any bending moment in column and column
is subjected to direct compression force only.
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Inverted Barrel Roof with inclined Columns and Guy Masts
1. This is further improvement on the above discussed
systems. In this case part of the horizontal thrust is
absorbed by inclined columns also known as Guy Masts
and the balance horizontal thrust is resisted by the
anchorage of Guy cable.
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Double Concave Pre Tensioned
Cable Roof
1. A double cable structure typically
consist of two coupled pretension
cables and related struts or ties
that function together in carrying
n external force.
2. Use of double cable system
prevents roof flutter due to wind
effect.
3. Pretension in upper cable is
slightly different than lower cable,
therefore each member has a
different natural frequency of
vibration.
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Suspended RCC Roof
1. This roof consist of prefabricated RCC beams and slabs,
which are constructed on ground and the lifted and
attached suspended from the vertical suspenders
attached to main cable.
2. RCC Columns (also known as towers) are inclined outward
(Just liked guyed masts) to absorb part of horizontal thrust
of main cable.
3. Towers are also supported in their length by short RCC
struts. Columns and struts are cast monolithic and have
combined foundation.
4. Walls & pillars are designed to withstand horizontal wind
load.
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Suspended Cantilever Roof :
• In this case also the principal of suspended
RCC roof is used.
• This types of roof is highly suitable for air
plane hanger which require one entirely open-
able wall to allow the entry and exit of
airplanes as shown in fig.
• Bicycle Wheel Roof:
Cable Stayed Roof
1. By creating a self balancing system
composed of members in direct stress,
an efficient structure for gravity loads is
created to cover large circular areas.
2. In this case number of radial cables
having sag of 1:8 to 1:10
3. Radical cables connect a lower circular
tension ring of steel to an outer
compression ring of concrete, which is
supported on vertical supports.
4. Roof consists of prefabricated
trapezoidal slab, which are attached to
radial cables by hooked end of their
reinforcement.
 Cable Stayed Roof
• Bicycle Wheel Roof:
5. Cables are over stressed by placing of sand bags or blast
bags on the slabs, thereby producing extra tension in
cable, after this the radial and circular joints between
these slabs are filled with cement mortar, on setting of
cement mortar the entire roof becomes monolithic
concrete dish.
6. On removal of extra load placed on slab the cables tend
to shorten but are prevented from doing the same by
monolithic RCC roof in which their bars are embedded
there by prestressing the cables.
7. The drainage of this type of roof is obtained by pumping
rain water to drain pipes located on outer rim of roof.
 Arches
• Arches are designed to
support vertical loads
primarily by axial
compression. They use
their curvilinear form to
transform the vertical
forces of a supported
load into inclined
components and
transmit them to
abutments on either
side of the archway.
 Arch Roofs
• Vault and Groin
Vault:
• A vault is an
application of the
arch extended
horizontally in two
dimensions, the
groin vault is the
intersection of two
vaults.
 Arch Roofs
• Barrel Roof:
• A series of parallel arches connected by
transverse roof elements (beams/ Slabs)
constitutes a barrel roof.
• At the ends the arches are supported on
buttress or a continuous fixed RCC beam.
 Arch Roofs
• Diagonal Arch Roof:
• To cover a rectangular
area arches are placed
along the diagonals of
the area with roof
material supported on
these arches.
 Arch Roofs
• Radial Arch Roof:
• Circular areas with curved boundaries may be
provided with radial arches.
• Arches may be by peripheral tension ring.
 Arch Roofs
• Lamella Roof:
• This roof is suitable for
rectangular areas, in
this case a series of
parallel arches skewed
to the sides of rectangle
are intersected by
another set of skewed
series of parallel arches.
 Pneumatic structures
• Pneumatic structures are
membrane structures, which
acquire stabilization through
internal pressurization.
• This is achieved by varying the
internal and external pressure
inside an enclosed volume.
• Membrane is a thin sheet of
material which is so thin that it
can not develop any bending
stresses but can only develop
in plane tension like a piece of
cloth or a sheet or paper.
 Types of Pneumatic Structures
• Air Supported Structures
• Air Inflated Structures
• Hybrid Structures
 Air Supported Structures
• An air supported structure consist
of a single membrane enclosing the
functional space.
• Internal air pressure is slightly
higher than atmospheric pressure
to maintain tension in membrane,
small pressure difference between
inside and out side cause no
discomfort to the people working
in these structures.
 Air Supported Structures
• Air supported structure must be
equipped with edge anchoring
system that ties membrane firmly to
ground to prevent any leakage that
is to have an air tight seal.
• The foundation should be designed
to resist both vertical and horizontal
forces to ensure its anchorage to
ground.
• For large span structures base
containment ring is used to resist
these forces, for low profile
structure the horizontal forces are
directed inward hence base
containment ring will be in
compression.
 Air Supported Structures
• Air supported
pneumatic structure is a
low energy structure
internal pressure and
stress in membrane is
low, so incase of
puncture the tearing of
membrane does not
propagate rapidly, rather
the effect is localized.
 Air Inflated Structures
• Air Inflated structure is
supported by pressurized
air contained within
building elements.
• The internal volume of
building remains at
atmospheric pressure.
• Structural forms of this
structures form stabilized
wholly or mainly by
pressure differences of
gases, liquid etc
materials in bulk.
 Air Inflated Structures
• Inflated rib structure is made
of a series of inflated tubes
usually in the form of an arch
and Dual wall Structure
consist of parallel membrane
system .
• Air Inflated Structures is high
energy system when
punctured seems literally
explode, crack caused by
puncture propagates very
rapidly.
• Use of Materials – Fiberglass ,
Polyester, PVC & Teflon.
 Hybrid Pneumatic Structures
• Combine both structural qualities, like
spanning potential of air supported structures
and dual wall system for insulation and safety
against collapse from air – inflated structure.
 Advantages of Pneumatic Structures:
• Elegant and dramatic design.
• Most efficient structural form available in term of
weight and material.
• Combines tensile strength of materials with the
structural efficiency of the shell form.
• Able to provide free span coverage for a large area.
• Supported by air, so requires no columns or beams.
• Great roof heights can be achieved.
• Portable structures, can be created / dismantled easily.
• Lower cost of construction and supporting material.
Disadvantage of Pneumatic Structures:
• Requires uninterrupted supply of air.
• People , equipments are required to enter and
leave the building through air locks only.
• Life of available skin member is shorter then that
of conventional building material.
• Limitations in terms of shapes of structures.
• Conventional shapes generally obtained by
revolution about one axis.
• Unintentional deflection due to accumulation of
snow.