PUBLIC ASSEMBLY STRUCTURES FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE PRESENT Proceedings, IASS-Symposium 1993 Publisher: Mimar Sinan University, Findikl, 80040 Istanbul/TURKIYE 54, ON A STRUCTURAL SYSTEM " SUSPEN - DOME" M. KAWAGUCHI], M. ABE?, T. HATATOS, I. TATEMICHI, 8. FUJIWARA, H. MATSUFUSIS Professor at Hosei University, Dr. Eng., Koganei, Tokyo 184 Lecturer at Hosei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184 3Advanced Structures Division, Maeda Corporation 2-10-26 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102 ABSTRACT Discussed in this paper are the structural features of domes the authors have named "suspen—domes," which combine features of single-layer truss domes and cable domes, ‘With the suspen—dome system, the stress generated in the ring girders is reduced and the excessive flexibility of cable structures can be avoided. The system also provides greater structural stability than single-layer truss domes. ‘A description of the structural system of suspen—domes below is followed by a dis— cussion of the more interesting structural characteristics of a large-scale test-design dome, together with proposals for the application of the system. INTRODUCTION A variety of large-scale domes have been constructed in recent years using structural systems that employ such materials as steel trusses, cables and air—inflated fabrics. While double-layer truss domes, the commonest type of steel-truss domes, excel in structural stability, the large quantities of steel required in the framework lead to increased construction costs. In contrast, single-layer truss domes are lighter, but present problems in the attainment and estimation of the structural stability, as indicated by the several re~ ported cases of collapse under snow load,©) so that large-scale structures of this type have yet to be built in Japan. Roof loads acting on a steel-truss dome produce large tensile stresses in the outer ring girders that support the whole dome. (see Figure 1(a)). Cable domes, adopted in the construction of a few widely publicised bui ings in recent years, possess the advantages of tensile structures, but have long stress transmis: mn paths and are structurally flexible. As a result, a large amount of prestress is required in the cables to ensure the stability of the domes, a fact which also has major effects on other structural elements. The outer ring girders in particular are subject to extremely large 523compressive forces, leading to significant increases in the construction costs (Figure 1(b)). Proposed in the present paper is a structural system that combines elements of the single-layer truss domes and cable domes. With the proposed system, the ring girder stress is reduced and the excessive flexibility of the type observed in cable structures is avoided, with the result that a high level of structural stability is attained while the light— ness of truss domes is maintained. Although there exist a number of reports on studies conducted on the characteristics of structures that combine truss domes with membranes and cables from the perspective of frame-membrane research,® none have been conducted with as clear a purpose as that delineated above. The authors have decided to apply the term "suspen—domes" to such combination structures in view of their resemblance to combined suspension and arch structures which are sometimes called "suspen-arches" (Figure 1(c)). STRUCTURAL SYSTEM OF SUSPEN-DOMES. ‘A suspen-dome consists of the single-layer truss dome, and the steel strut and cable system (Figure 2). Struts are suspended from the singlelayer truss dome and the lower ends of these struts are bound to cables running out in the radial directions (radial cables) and cables that form closed rings (hoop cables). So as to allow efficient use of the space inside the dome, it is usually best to have the cable—strut section recede upwards as one approaches the centre of the dome (Figure 2(b)). Application of the appropriate amount of prestress to the radial cables will cause the struts to push the single-layer truss dome upwards. This results in a reduction of the over- all thrust on the dome and of the stresses on the outer ring girders and other steel members. (@Single-layer truss dome (cable dome Strut Single-layer truss dome Hoop cable_// Low structural stability Obxtensive prestressng required Ottigh construction cost due 10 sce oS ie Oth construction cost due to Additional subilizaton measures. | | OTE cons on measures (©Suspen-dome OReduces te amount of stress on the rng girders ‘Avoids the problem of excessive flexibility of cable structures. © tncreases resistance to buckling. Figure 2 Structural system of the suspen-dome Figure 1 Origins of the suspen—dome 524‘The cables also provide addi ional tension against such extra loads as that due to snow, thereby reducing the increases in the thrust. Here, the structural system of suspen-domes is explained in outline using as an ex— ample the case of a suspen—dome with a span of 200 m as may be used for a large-scale multi-purpose stadium (Figure 3). The single-truss dome section is of a low-rise (rise/ span ratio: 0.15) lattice type. ‘The struts are suspended from each of the steel~frame joints i the single-layer truss dome section, and these become shorter as one approaches the centre of the dome. Two radial cables run from the bottom of each strut to the tops (connections with the steel frame) of two struts in the next row out. The bottoms of the struts are also bound with cables forming concentric circles. Structural-use "spiral ropes" are used for the cables here. [At the centre of the single-layer truss dome, however, a lens-shaped double-| layer truss is used, since the tension effect of the cables is reduced here as the angles of the radial cables become increasingly shallow. Besides contributing to the structural stability of the dome, the double-layer truss may be put to effective use as a staging for the suspension of equipment for various events. Metal panels are used as the finishing materials for the roof. Whereas membranes are normally used as the roof-finish materials on cable domes, suspen—domes can be roofed with metal panels, opening the way for a greater diversity of uses. ‘The dome rests on supports that are free along the radial direction while being pinned to position in the circumferential direction. This arrangement allows the release of the seismic forces and thermal stresses in the radial direction, thus lightening the burden on the substructure. ‘Outer ring girder da "Rise/span milo 0.15 ‘Single-layer truss dome Cable strat section Completed structure Figure 3 Suspen-dome test design (Span: 200m) 525DETERMINATION OF CABLE PRESTRESS ble sv The balanced distribution of the load between ee the single-layer truss section and on the cables is a eae FORCE-1| FORCE-2| FORCE-3| FORCE-4| key consideration in the design of suspen-domes, reel elise a meaning that the layout and rigidity of the cables and (on) eerie denne aoe eran powtnce, In the example discussed here, the distribution ines ofthe presirees was determined so a to minimise the = p> axial stress (as well as the displacement along the di- rection of the thrust) in the outer ring girders under the permanent load (Table 1). STRESS-DEFORMATION CHARACTERISTICS OF SUSPEN-DOMES ‘The stress—deformation characteristics are discussed below using the results of the static elastic analy: ing a vertical load of (150 kg/n#), which corresponds to the permanent load. conducted on the 200 m span suspen—dome described above, assum— ‘The results of analysis for the displacement on a single-layer truss dome and the suspen—dome are compared in Figure 4. The single-layer truss dome here is a suspen— dome with the struts and the cables removed. It is to be observed that both the vertical and thrust-direction displacement is markedly smaller on the suspen-dome than on the single-layer truss dome. 'A comparison is then made in Figure 5 for the axial stresses in the circular steel frame members in the truss dome sections. The results are also given for the case when prestress was not applied in the suspen—dome. Whereas approximately 1,000 tons of ten— sile forces is generated in the outer ring girders in the single-layer truss dome, the stress in the suspen—dome is virtually zero, Even without prestress, the additional tension generated in the cables reduces the stress in the outer ring girders to approximately one-third of that in the single-layer truss dome. Ineither case, however, the cables have little effect on the x [=z To| || | single| 24] 827 seer done | susoen| -2.01 -8.0} eens — cri! ape single-layer ara lee tras dome | Tension = suspen-dome CCompresion 400-2000 200 400 600 800 3000 1200 Figure 4 Displacement (on) Figure 5 Axial force on circular-direction members 526compressive stresses in the circular members near ee ae ee the top of the dome. ‘The axial stress distributions in the radial oe members in the truss dome sections are shown in Figure 6, While the members here are subject to. -150/ compression in all regions, the effect of the cables -120 (suspen-dome effect) reduces by nearly 50% the -90 compressive forces at the skirt of the suspen-dome. -60 As with the circular members, however, the suspen— dome effect is smaller near the top of the dome. ° The above results indicate that the suspen— Figure 6 Axial force on lial- directic ol dome systems display satisfactory stress—deforma- La a tion performance under permanent loads. In a system using cables, however, the cables may slacken under snow and other additional loads, invalidating the assu ned equilibrating system. The following are the results of an elastic analysis carried out for conditions under snow loads. Assuming a structure built in Tokyo, the snow cover was set at 30 cm (2.0 kg/ cm/m?). The loading conditions included even (full covering) and uneven (one-sided cov— ering) load distribution patterns. ‘The axial stress distributions in the circular and radial steel-frame members in the truss dome sections are given in Figures 7 and 8. The stress levels in some of the members under uneven loading were higher than that under even loading, suggesting the need for (00), 2 — Dantes 150 — dasa tacoveing Dead lond + onesie 10 ove 50 o aq © ® 100 ® @ -1s0 ~ 7 ® Figure 7 Axial force on ciccular—direction members (Under snowfal!) on) fullgovering 1804 — Dead oad “sso [ease eg a [ase ied 120] -80 60 | Se tial uc eeecaution when constructing domes in heavy snowfall regions. Stress variations were par- ticularly large between adjacent radial members, generating large compressive stresses near the boundary between the loaded and unloaded halves in the uneven loading. This is attributable to the fact the radial members function as arch elements under even loading and in a similar way to the diagonal members of a Warren truss under uneven loading. ‘The axial stress distributions for the radial cables are shown in Figure 9. While a small amount of slackening is observed near the centre of the dome under uneven loading, stresses exceeding the prestress levels do not occur in the cables at the structurally-impor— tant skirt of the dome. [—dadias co) — Dead oad + fu covering Deadlead + one, @e¢ full covering one-sided covering STRUCTURAL STABILITY OF SUSPEN-DOMES. Calculations were made on the eae eenny eile ee ee) oy mae er eet ee fi Fas ae eee ees ‘Single-layer truss dome 12000 Joad method. The loads were evenly dis tributed over each nodal point. The ver~ 10000 tical load-displacement curve is given in | so00 Figure 10. The buckling load obtained 6000 times that for the single-layer truss 000) n dome. This is equivalent to a buckling Pa 2000 load coefficient of approximately 3. for the suspen-dome was around 1.5 08 -06 -04 -~02 0 DisplacementAPPLICATIONS OF SUSPEN-DOME SYSTEM + Suspen-dome with large opening ‘The suspen—dome system can be applied to the construction of both small (¢.g. the roof of a tennis court) and large-scale domes. In the study discussed here, considerations were made for the application of the system to a large eaves over the stands of an open-air stadium (e.g. a soccer stadium). This involved enlarging the diameter of the opening at the top of the 200 m span suspen-dome to around 100 m, resulting in a structure with an annular roof with a cantilever length of around 50 m (Figure 11). Since this dome was designed for imaginary construction in an area of heavy snowfall, the cable prestress was set at such a level as to reduce the tensile forces acting on the outer ring girders under snow cover to one-third of the level expected on a single-layer truss dome. + Suspen—dome with oval plan Elliptical arenas are required, for example, for skating rinks and bicycle racing stadi— ums. An oval dome approximately 215 m long and 165 wide was designed using the sus— pen-dome system (Figures 12 and 13). The single-layer truss dome is of a low-rise (rise/ short span ratio: 0.15) lattice type. While metal panels are used as the finishing materials for the roof in most parts, fabrics are used in certain sections near the centre for natural lighting. The planar distribution of the prestress for the radial cables was determined from the self—equilibrated stress of the oval hoop cables. ‘The use of the suspen-dome system resulted in significant reductions in the vertical and thrust—direction displacement. The reduction of the stress in the steel—frame members in the truss dome section was also confirmed. ‘Total structure Figure 12 Suspen-dome with oval plan 529CONCLUSION ‘An outline description has been given above of a composite structure, the "suspen— dome” system, which combines a single-layer truss dome and a cable-strut structure, and the satisfactory stress—deformation characteristics of such a structure have been demon— strated. The authors hope, in the future, to pursue @ course of investigations on the opti— mum structural balance, on the buckling resistance against snow and other loads and on the appropriate construction methods. There are plans also for verific ion of the structural system through implementation of structural tests and test construction of full-scale domes. REFERENCES 1. Beles, A.A. & Soare, M. "Some observations on the failure of a dome of great span"; Space Structures, International Conference on Space Structures, 1966,pp.419—423 2. Saitoh, M. "Tension Truss Dome": LASS-MSU Symposium, Istanbul, 1988 530