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Active Load-Bearing Structural Systems

This document describes different types of active form structures, including cable structures, tents, pneumatic structures, and arches. Active form structures transmit loads through their flexible shape rather than relying on their rigidity. The types of forces involved and examples of each type of structure are described.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
5 views5 pages

Active Load-Bearing Structural Systems

This document describes different types of active form structures, including cable structures, tents, pneumatic structures, and arches. Active form structures transmit loads through their flexible shape rather than relying on their rigidity. The types of forces involved and examples of each type of structure are described.

Translated by

ScribdTranslations
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

ACTIVE FORM

ACTIVE STRUCTURES:
They are bearing systems made of flexible, non-rigid material, in which the transmission of loads is carried out.
in an appropriate manner and a stabilization of the characteristic shape. The transmission of the load
it is through the form.

FORCES:

The basic components of the structure are only subjected to normal stresses, that is, to
compression or tension: STRUCTURES IN A STATE OF SIMPLE STRESSES.

TYPES:

There are several actively load-bearing systems:

1) Cable structures
The suspended cable, due to its low self-weight in relation to the light and its flexibility,
it is very sensitive to wind suction, vibrations, and asymmetric and dynamic loads.
This is why it is necessary to increase the self-weight of the cable, to give it rigidity.
through the construction as an inverted arch or even providing a bracing
with cross cables anchored to the ground.

Problems that cables present and their solutions.


Cable structures are especially suitable for large-span roofs with
lightweight materials where the essential structural element is the cable and the effort
The fundamental one is traction.
The loads they will be exposed to can be very large in relation to their weight.
own, however, does not constitute a self-supporting structure, that is, the design will require
structures that hold the cables at significant heights. This entails a combination
of different structural systems.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco–USA

2) Store structures

They are lightweight and flexible structural solutions that fall within those that resist.
by traction, with the possibility to adapt its shape to the funicular of external loads.

Tent system to cover solid linear constructions


Stores can be classified as pointed, curved, and indirect.

Khan Shatyr, Astana - Kazakhstan

3) Pneumatic structures

It consists of a volume of air enclosed in a flexible and resistant shell.


traction and at higher pressure than the outside air, this volume behaves like a solid
homogeneous and elastic. As such, air can absorb, transmit, and transfer forces.
outdoors, this is referred to as pneumatic structures.

These mechanical properties of air rely on three conditions:


The envelope material must be able to withstand tension and be airtight.
The stabilizing internal pressure of the air must be permanent and greater than the sum of
all the forces acting on the membrane.
Any modification of the shape of the envelope (keeping the amount of
Surface leads to a reduction of an enclosed volume.

The forces on a closed volume of air under pressure are of equal magnitude in
all directions. They act centrifugally towards the envelope, it is
to say, in the direction of the possible balance of charges.

A spherical surface encloses the maximum volume with a surface.


minimum. In this way, an envelope is obtained that, in case of changing shape,
it only affects the contained volume, that is, it has an optimal resistance to the
deformations.
By increasing the curvature of the spherical surface while maintaining the same internal pressure, one
they reduce tensions in the membrane. The effectiveness of the membrane to absorb stresses
interior pressure increases. This also increases the capacity to withstand a
deformation in the geometry of the envelope.

Pneumatic structure

JOINT ACTION OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE AND THE ENVELOPING MEMBRANE

The enveloping membrane maintains its shape thanks to the difference in air pressure.
interior and the exterior, in an air-supported system, if the actions increase, the
The envelope begins to give way, causing the air to compress and displace. With this
the difference between the interior and exterior increases and the shape of the envelope is modified
(curvature).

Both processes reinforce resistance to deformations. That is to say, only after


by experiencing a slight deformation, the forces are mobilized to reach the state
of balance.

Behavior of a pneumatic structure


Arch structures

The arch is essentially a compressed structure used to cover large and small.
lights, and it can be considered one of the basic structural elements in all types
of architecture.
The ideal shape of an arch capable of resisting loads determined by a state of
Simple compression can always be found in the form of a funicular polygon.
correspondingly reversed.
The suspension cable can only absorb tensions. If only its own weight acts on it, it adopts the
the shape of a catenary, while if a uniformly distributed linear load acts
It takes on a parabolic shape in the cable, which varies according to how the loads are applied.
the shape of this.

Vicaria Bridge, Albacete - Spain

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