SHELL STRUCTURE
430- construction-II
Kabul University
Engineering Faculty, Architecture Dep.
Kabul, Afghanistan
2024
SHELL STRUCTURE
• A thin, curved plate structure shaped to transmit applied forces
by compressive, tensile, and shear stresses that act in the plane
of the surface
World Famous Buildings built with Shell
SHELL STRUCTURE
• Thin-shell structures are light weight
constructions using shell elements .
• These elements are typically curved and are
assembled to large structures.
• Typical applications are boat hulls and roof
structures in building.
• A thin shell is defined as a shell with a
thickness which is relatively small compared
to its other dimensions and in which
deformations are not large compared to
thickness.
SHELL STRUCTURE
Difference between shell and plate structures:
• A primary difference is that, in the
unstressed state, the shell structure has
curvature as opposed to plates structures
which are flat.
• Membrane action in a shell is primarily
caused by in-plane forces (plane stress).
• Where a flat plate acts similar to a beam
with bending and shear stresses, shells are
analogous to a cable which resists loads
through tensile stresses.
SHELL STRUCTURE
Thickness of shells
• The thickness of the slab elements are normally governed by the
number of layers of reinforcing bars.
• For shells of double curvature, there are usually only two layers.
Types of Shells :
• Barrel Shells
• Folded Plates
• Umbrella Shells
• Four Gabled Hypars
• Domes of Revolution
• Translation Shells
BARREL SHELLS
• A barrel shells acts as a beam in the long direction and as an arch in
the curved area. The arch is supported by internal shears.
• The edge spans of the shell should be supported by intermediate
columns.
• The stiffness of a barrel shell at the outside edges is simply not stiff or
strong enough to carry the required loads.
• The shell reinforcing at the edge members acts more like a typical arch
and should be reinforced with two layers of bars.
FOLDED PLATE
• The design of folded plate roof structures follows the design of barrel
shells, but is much simpler because the elements are all essentially
beams.
• Support the folded plate at its longitudinal
edges by frequent columns
Folded plate north light is usually achieved Z – shape folded plate ,there are windows
for this roof between the tilted z shaped for natural light.
FOLDED PLATE
UMBRELLA SHELL
The principal elements are:
• The interior rib created by the intersection of the shell elements.
• The exterior rib supporting the shell, particularly in the exterior corners .
• The central column and the connection to the shell.
• Loads are transferred directly to the supporting ribs through shear.
FOUR GABLED HYPARS
• The shell acts as an arch in one direction and as a centenary in the
other.
• The top ridge member is in compression and may require additional
area above that of the shell.
• The slanting side ribs are also in compression and to some extent
in bending, and should be designed for some of the weight of the
rib.
DOME OF REVOLUTION
• There will be some bending moment at the junction of the shell and
the ring beam,
• So it is usual to gradually increase the thickness at this point and
add moment reinforcing.
TRANSLATION SHELLS
• The translation shell is simply a square dome as shown by the sketch.
• The shape is generated by a curve moving along another curve.
• If the curves are circles, then every vertical section is the same.
• The dome is usually supported by arches.
• There are three principal design areas:
✓ The central dome area which is designed like a spherical dome.
✓ The corners where there is considerable tension from the ring beam
affect.
✓ The arches which take their share of the total load ,are loaded in
shear including the weight of themselves.
Shell Structure
Shell and Nature
Shells from structure view:
Types of shells :
1. Barrel vaults
2. Short shells
Barrel vaults:
Length of the barrel is longer in
comparison to the width.
Short shells:
A cylindrical shell having a large Barrel vault
radius in comparison to the
length
Short shell
BASIC ELEMENTS OF SHORT SHELLS
The principle parts of a short shell structure are:
An edge beam may be
•The abutment.
provided at the springing
•The arch structure ( Stiffeners)
level of the shell for
•The shell spanning between arches.
additional support.
•Edge Beams
This edge beam can be
omitted in small structures if
the shell is thickened.
Short Shell Thickness
• The minimum shell thickness should be
at the top in the center of the span. (
min 4 cm )
• At the arch, the shell thickness is
increased slightly for local stresses.
• The thickness increases toward the
springing line of the arch and if not
supported by an edge beam, the
thickness here should be based on the
thickness for a slab spanning the same
distance.
• The edge beams act like the folded plate
structures. Variation of
thickness along the
section
Short Shells
The short shell carries loads in two ways:
• As an arch carrying load to the lower elements.
• As a curved beam to the arches.
The thickness of the shell can be quite thin due to these properties.
✓ The short shell serves only a minor role.
✓ The emphasis is on the arch shape.
• Many structures built with short shells, such a large hangars and
auditoriums, could have been built with little more dead load by using
a ribbed slab or other lightweight concrete framing system rather than
the shell.
• The architecture of short shells, therefor, must be based on the
exploitation of the shape of the arch rather than on the shell itself.
PURE ARCH AND SHELL
CANTILEVER ABUTMENTS
MASSIVE ABUTMENTS
RIGID FRAMES
RIGID FRAMES
Shell Concepts
Shell Structure Concept
Shell and large Structures
EXAMPLE
Seminar Titles :
• ...
• Sound Proof Materials
• Water Proofing Materials
• Thermal Insulation Materials
• Fire Insulation Materials + Safety codes
• Clay Bricks + CMU + Aerated Concrete blocks
Note: These broad Sections are mandatory parts of your report and seminar:
1. General information
2. construction detailing
3. Construction process
4. its data and types in Kabul Market