A tension structure has no components that bend or compress, so its entire composition must be able to withstand tension alone. The structural form known as tensegrity combines tension and compression forces, but this has nothing to do with tension. As far as thin-shell buildings go, tension structures are by far the most common type.
Most tension buildings are held up by compression or bending elements like masts (like those used in The O2, formerly known as the Millennium Dome), compression rings, or beams.
Tension structures: History
A Russian engineer named Vladimir Shukhov developed the first practical method for calculating the stresses and deformations of tensile structures, shells, and membranes. For the Nizhny Novgorod Fair in 1896, he planned eight pavilions totalling 27,000 square metres, including both tensile and thin-shell structures. Tensile structures have gained widespread attention and application in recent years. Olympia Park in Munich, the Millennium Dome in London, and the Ashford Designer Outlet in the United Kingdom are just a few of the famous structures in the world.
Tension structures: Categorisation
Tensile construction systems are often broken down into three broad categories: membrane-tensioned, mesh-tensioned, and pneumatic. The first class includes structures where cables are used to hold a membrane in place, therefore distributing tensile stresses over the membrane’s geometry. The second category describes buildings in which the inherent forces are distributed among the various components (such as glass or wood) by a system of cables. In the third scenario, a protective barrier relies on air pressure to stay in place.
Benefits of a membrane door
- Membrane doors are known to be durable.
- The design is resistant to heat and abrasions.
- Moreover, they do not get deformed much.
- The doors do not crack even after long use.
- The doors are easy to maintain.
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Membrane doors are manufactured using a combination of HDF moulded doors with solid flush doors. Flush doors are also known as performance doors. Membrane doors designed from waterproof, high grade wooden material can be an excellent choice for modern homes as they ensure security owing to their durability and other properties such as resistance to extreme weather conditions.
Tension structures: Forms
Structure of conical tension
A tent-like conical tension structure is a powerful tool for covering big regions. Single or several masts may be used in conical designs. Both configurations need membranes to be tensioned between a top ring and perimeter columns at ground level. Areas that must adhere to stringent rain or snow load limitations benefit greatly from the use of cones.
Forming in a hypar or anticlastic manner
As a result of its visual appeal, hypar (hyperbolic paraboloid) forms have become one of the most popular types of tensioned membrane structures. These buildings are anticlastic, meaning they are held together by two curved surfaces that are at right angles to one another. This kind of building works well to provide a shady canopy over benches or footpaths.
Structure with parallel arches or a barrel vault
The tensioned membrane canopy formed by these symmetrical curved parallel arch designs is very useful and may cover a wide area, like a sports arena, or a narrow one, like a doorway. Due to its repeated nature and material efficiency, a barrel vault system may be a highly cost-effective approach to including tensile membranes in a project, provided that the spans are sufficiently short.
Cable-net and membrane framework
Lightweight tensile architecture, including 3D cable net or cable grid structures, is useful for long-span tensile membrane roofing applications like those seen in stadiums or other big venues.
Tension structures: Types
On the plane where the tensile forces are acting, a wide variety of tensile structures are formed. Based on these criteria, tensile structures are divided into the following classes:
Linear tensile structures
Members of a linear tensile structure are all subjected to linear tensile forces. A bulk of the load is supported by the tensile elements, while the compression members provide support for the linear members. One such kind is the cable-suspended bridge. Even though the principal pillars are used for compression, the load is supported by the tensioned cables.
These categories are used to categorise linear tensile structures:
Free-standing bridges
Exposed wires
Trusses and beams supported by cables
Rope trusses
Maintaining a constant tension with straight wires
See also: Cement design: Another idea to add to your home
Three-dimensional tensile structures
Components of a three-dimensional tensile structure are mostly under tension, with compression transmitted to a central mast and ultimately into the earth. Sports stadiums often include a tensile ceiling structure, which is a kind of three-dimensional tension. Bicycle wheel,
3D cable trusses and tensegrity structures are some examples.
Surface-stressed tensile structures
Similar to the other two kinds of tensile structures, surface-stressed tensile structures differ only in that the surface components endure tension rather than compression. This fabric structure is often used for building facades and dome tents because air pressure may be employed to maintain a protective barrier.
Types of tensile membranes
In the field of tensile construction systems, there are primarily three categories: membrane-tensioned structures, mesh-tensioned structures, and pneumatic structures.
Most tensile membranes use coated or tested fabrics. Several uses may be found for nonwovens. The fabrics have never claimed to be watertight. Moreover, most of the fibres will be damaged by exposure to elements like sunshine.
- Polyester with a polyvinyl chloride coating is a material that might work well for both long-term and short-term tensile fabric constructions.
- DuPont developed PTFE-coated glass cloth in the 1960s, and it has been employed in the construction of tensile fabric structures ever since the early 1970s.
- Despite being a film and not a fabric, expanded PTFE (ETFE) is worth noting due to its widespread usage as a substitute for structural glass.
all about truss calculator
Tension structures: Usage
Due to their low cost and high efficiency, tension membrane structures are frequently used as roofs over large areas. It is also possible to use tension membrane structures as entire buildings, which is especially useful for large-scale applications like sports arenas, warehouses, and exhibition halls.
Tension structures: Advantages
- Safety from the elements (sun, rain, wind).
- Optical effects that may be created using translucency in general.
- Strong but lightweight.
- An infinite variety of shapes and eye-catching individuality.
- With off-site production and fewer delays, construction may be completed quickly.
- Lengths that may be measured in the hundreds of metres.
- Capacity to be recycled and environmentally friendly.
- Ability to accommodate novel architectural developments (steel, glass, cement, stone).
- Reduced time spent on repairs and replacements.
FAQs :
What is tension structure?
A cable suspended from the ceiling with a weight at its free end is in a condition of tension, a kind of stress in which the material is being driven apart.
What is a tension membrane structure?
Fabric structures that rely on compression or bending components, such as beams, masts, or compression rings, are known as tension membrane structures. As a roofing material, they are popular because they look nice, let in plenty of natural light, cost little to maintain, and can cover a lot of ground.
How do tension structures work?
The act of tensioning is what maintains the stability of tensile constructions, as opposed to compression. Traditional buildings, on the other hand, are held in compression rather than tension by the force of gravity acting upon their bulk.
