Aims & Learning Objectives:
To develop an understanding of the theory and practical design of lightweight wide-span structures, particularly tensile membranes, cable networks, grid shells, air-supported and pneumatic structures.
Content:
Characteristics, behaviour and analytical methods for funicular cable structures subject to uniform and non-uniform loadings. Effects of elastic extensino, temperature effects, support settlements and cable slip.
Matrix methods for geometric and material non-linear cable and membrane structures. Incremental, Newton-Raphson and modified N-R methods. Zero stiffness controls in the iteration process. Implicit and explicit integration vector methods.
Dynamic Relaxation applied to shell, space and tension structures. Form-finding controls.
Kinetic and viscous damping.
Behaviour and modelling of prestressed fabric membranes. Crimp interchange and on-off non-linear material properties modelling.
Computer Aided Design packages for form-finding and analysis of membrane, cable network, grid shell and pneumatic structures.
Wind load response and numerical and physical modelling.
Practical design aspects for steelwork, membrane and foundation design, steelwork detailing and steelwork and membrane fabrication patterning. Assembly and on-site construction procedures.
The course will entail design project studies embracing conceptual and structural engineering dsign and detailing using both CAD and physical modelling methods.
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