SPACE FRAME STRUCTURES

VOCABULARY
A polyhedron (many surfaces) is a geometric solid in three dimensions with flat faces
and straight edges.
A tetrahedron is a polyhedron with four sides, but is also called a pyramid.
A hexahedron is a polyhedron with six sides, but is also called a cube.
A polyhedron with six rectangles as sides also has many namesa rectangular
parallelepiped, rectangular prism, or box.
An octahedron is a polyhedron with eight faces.
Tension is a force that acts to expand or lengthen the thing it is acting on.
Compression is a force that acts to compress or shorten the thing it is acting on.

DEFINITION
A
space
frame
or
space
structure is a truss-like, lightweight
rigid structure constructed from
interlocking struts in a geometric
pattern.
Take a form of a flat surface or
curve surface.
Designed with no intermediate
columns to create large open
area.

INTRODUCTION
The simplest form of space frame is a
horizontal slab of interlocking square
pyramids
and
tetrahedra
built
from aluminium or tubular steel struts.
In many ways this looks like the horizontal jib
of a tower crane repeated many times to
make it wider.
A stronger form is composed of
interlocking tetrahedra in which all the
struts have unit length.
More complex variations change the
lengths of the struts to curve the overall
structure or may incorporate other
geometrical shapes.

LOAD DISTRIBUTION
Like the truss, a space frame is strong because
of the inherent rigidity of the triangle; flexing
loads (bending moments) are transmitted
as tension and compression loads along the
length of each strut.

TYPES
Curvature classification
1. Space plane covers:These spatial structures are composed of
planar substructures. Their behavior is similar to that of a
plate in which the deflections in the plane are channeled
through the horizontal bars and the shear forces are
supported by the diagonals.
2. Barrel vaults:This type of vault has a cross section of a simple
arch. Usually this type of space frame does not need to use
tetrahedral modules or pyramids as a part of its backing.
3. Spherical domes and other compound curves:These usually require the use of tetrahedral
modules or pyramids and additional support from a skin.

Classification by the arrangement of its elements

1. Single layer grid:All elements are located on the surface to be approximated.
2. Double layer grid:The elements are organized in two parallel layers with each other at a certain
distance apart.
Each of the layers form a lattice of triangles, squares or hexagons in which the
projection of the nodes in a layer may overlap or be displaced relative to each other.
The diagonal bars connecting the nodes of both layers in different directions in
space.
Composed of basic elements such as
1. Planar latticed truss.
2. A pyramid with a square base that is essentially a part of
an octahedron.
3. A pyramid with a triangular base (tetrahedron).
3.

Basic elements of double layer grid.

Triple layer grid:Elements are placed in three parallel layers, linked by the diagonals. They are almost
always flat.

Method of support

Multi-column supports.

Supporting columns.

COMPONENTS OF SPACE FRAME

Axial members, preferably tubes.
Connectors.
Bolts.

Circular Hollow Sections

Rectangular Hollow Sections

JOINTING SYSTEMS
The type of jointing depends on the
connecting technique, whether it is bolting,
welding, or applying special mechanical
connectors.
It is also affected by the shape of the
members.
This usually involves a different connecting
technique depending on whether the
members are circular or square hollow section
or rolled section.
The joints for the space frame are more
important than the ordinary framing systems
because more members are connected to a
single joint.
Furthermore, the members are located in a
three dimensional space, and hence the
force transfer mechanism is more complex.

CONNECTORS
1) Tuball Node Connector
A hollow sphere made of spheroidal
graphite
The end of the circular hollow section
member to be connected is fitted at its
ends by welding.
Connection from inside the cup is
using bolt and nut

2) Nodus Connector

It can accept both rectangular and circular

hollow sections and that the cladding can be
fixed directly to the chords.
Chord connectors have to be welded to the
ends of the hollow members on site.

3) Triodetic Connector

It consists of a hub, usually an

aluminium extrusion, that has slots or
key ways, which the ends of members
are pressed or coined to match the
slots.

4) Hemispherical Dome Connector

Usually use for double layer domes.

Has a span more than 40m.
More economical for long span.
The jointing is connect by slitting the
end of the tube or rod with the joint fin.
There are 2 types of joint, pentagonal
joint and hexagonal joint.

APPLICATIONS
Space frames are a common feature
in modern construction; they are often
found
in
large
roof
spans
in modernist commercial and industrial
buildings.
Hotel/Hospital/commercial
building
entrances.
Commercial building lobbies/atriums.
Parking canopies.

London Stansted Airport

Sky dome of Rogers Centre

CANADA

Eden Project
Cornwall,
UK

FERRARI WORLD, ABU DHABI

BAMBOO SPACE TRUSS,GOA

ADVANTAGES
Light weight.
Elegant & Economical
Carry load by three dimensional action

High Inherent Stiffness

Easy to construct
Save Construction Time & Cost
Services (such as lighting and air conditioning) can be
integrated with space frames
Offer the architect unrestricted freedom in locating supports
and planning the subdivision of the covered space.

DISADVANTAGES
Sometimes the cost of construction is high.
Visually the space grid structures are very busy. From different
viewing angles space frame can appear to be very dense.

It is difficult to use irregular plan shapes and to impose control on

the construction.
If the space frame is big then its difficult and costly to transport.

FOLDED PLATES

Folded plates are assemblies of flat plates rigidly connected together

along their edges in such a way so as to make the structural system
capable of carrying loads without the needs for additional supporting
beams along mutual edges
A flat sheet of paper
Folded in a series of parallel folds it acquires stiffness
In this form it will carry one hundred times its own weight.
If load is increased to breaking point the structure will fail
and collapse.
To prevent collapsing the end of the sheet must be
reinforced with a strip of cardboard or stiffener.
Now the sheet will be capable of withstanding further
increase in load.

MATERIAL USED:

The material used must be one that is strong

in bending, i.e. capable of resisting tension,
compression and shear at the same time.
Wood should not be used
The ideal material used is reinforced
concrete.

How a folded plate work:

1. At right angles to the span the plate acts
like a continuous crimped slab supported
at the folds.
2. Bending moments in the crimped slab.
3. In the direction of the span the surfaces
between folds act like inclined beams,
leaning one against the other.
4. The shape of the folds must be preserved
by introducing stiffeners at the supports.

Various form of stiffener:

1. Tie members between supports
2. Arrowhead stiffeners supported
at the low points.
3. Arrowhead stiffeners supported
at the high points.

Fixed support instead of stiffeners:

1. The Y-frames of the Birsfelden
power station, Switzerland, form a
chain of stable supports for the
roof.
2. The substructure of the sports
stand provides a series of stable
supports for the folded plates.

Variations on the folded

plate:
1. Parallel folds
2. Fan-shaped folds

A sports stadium in Pavia, Italy

with a vaulted roof composed
of interpenetrating folds.

The church of Notre-Dome in Royan,

France. The tall outside walls are
folded to increase their rigidity.

General view
Plan showing the folds in the
outside walls

Further development of folded

plate:
The carrying capacity can be
increased
by
introducing
horizontal slabs at the ridges and
in the valleys.
Details of a fold

GEODESIC DOMES

Domes are curved architectonic structures with no angles or

corners, similar to the upper half of a sphere.
They are strong structures and have been used in buildings since
ancient times.
Types of Domes
Geodesic Dome
The
geodesic
dome
was
invented in the 1950s by
American
engineer
and
architect Buckminster Fuller.
This type of dome is structured
on
triangles
and
other
geometric shapes instead of the
arches.

The Eden Project, in England, is an

example of geodesic dome.

 Monolithic Dome
The monolithic dome is made of one solid piece of material. Its
construction begins with a circular concrete foundation, where a
canvas "airform" is attached to the slab.
The canvas is then inflated using special fans, thus forming the shape of
the dome.
the interior is covered with a layer of polyurethane foam insulation .
A steel bar is enclosed in the foam to give support to the dome.
Finally, a special mix of concrete is spread over the interior of the
building
Bow Dome
The bow dome is made of wood bows, which can be substituted by
aluminium, and canvas.

Basic types of Geodesic Domes

Icosahedron
The icosahedron dome is based off the basic pentagon shape and is the
most rounded version of the geodesic dome.
The icosahedron dome resembles a bubble.
It is the most common version of the geodesic domes used in buildings or
other projects.
Because of its numerous sides the icosahedron structure is used for the
largest domes.
Octahedron
The octahedron dome is based off the basic pyramid shape.
The octahedron dome is the second most common dome shape and is
rounded in appearance.
It forms an almost circular shape.
This dome shape is often seen in children's jungle gyms in parks.

Tetrahedron
The tetrahedron dome is based off a triangle shape, and it is
the least circular dome.
It is the least version of the geodesic dome and has sharper
angles than other geodesic dome shapes.
It is the weakest dome shape, and it can support the least
amount of weight.

Common Materials of a Geodesic Dome

Geodesic domes are both light and strong.

A geodesic dome consists of a skeletal structure made from triangles that are sized and put together in such a way
that the structure approximates a sphere. This supporting structure is covered by a skin whose thickness relative to the
size of the sphere is ideally in the same proportion as an egg shells thickness to the size of the egg. Because of the
stability of the triangle-based inner structure and the relative lightness of the skin, you can use a wide variety of
materials for these domes.

Metals
Geodesic domes vary widely in size. Metals such as steel and aluminum are the most common choice for the
inner structure of the larger domes and are often used for smaller domes. Galvanized steel electrical conduit is
sometimes used for the framing of smaller domes. Aluminum and copper are also used as the outer skin of some
domes.

Wood

For smaller domes, wood is often used for both the skeletal support and the outer skin
Cellulose may also be used for interior insulation.

Synthetic Materials
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe is often used for the structural members of smaller domes, and plastic sheeting,
acrylics, Plexiglas, nylon, and fiberglass are all popular products used as the a dome's skin.
Fiberglass, urethane, or plastic foam are considered useful interior insulation.

Other Materials
Many domes are built on concrete slabs, and concrete is often used for foundation walls and riser walls.
You may also wish to use structural gypsum for the dome skin.