KKSB 4143 ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION

& MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY

FORM-ACTIVE STRUCTURE
Alif Arif Iskandar Abd Wahab | A126688 : UKM 2009/10
FORM-ACTIVE STRUCTURE
• Load is taken by the form or shape of the
structure
• Non rigid, flexible matter shaped in a
certain way and secured by fixed ends,
can support itself & span space. The
structure transmit loads only through
simple normal stresses; either tension or
through compression.
FORM-ACTIVE STRUCTURE
There are 4 types of form-active structural systems

1. Cable

2. Tent
Form-active structure
3. Pneumatic

4. Arch
FORM-ACTIVE STRUCTURE
SPAN – Cable and Tent Structures

50 ------------------ 500m

30 ------------- 250m

25 ----------- 200m

5 ---- 40m

20 ------ 100m

20 --------- 150m
FORM-ACTIVE STRUCTURE
SPAN – Pneumatic and Arch Structures

10 -------------------- 300m

20 -------- 120m

10 ----- 70m

15 -------- 100m

4 ----- 30m

10 ------------- 150m
 1. Cable Structure
• Two cables with different points of suspension tied together
form a suspension system. A cable subject to external loads
will deform in a way depending upon the magnitude and
location of the external forces. The form acquired by the
cable is called the FUNICULAR SHAPE of the cable.

Transversely and uniformly loaded cable Cable with central point load
1. Cable Structure
• The natural stress line of the form active tension system is the
funicular tension line.
• Any change of loading or support conditions changes the form of
the funicular curve.
• Form active systems because of their dependence on loading
conditions are strictly governed by the natural ‘flow of forces’ and
hence cannot become subject to arbitrary free form design.
• Cables can be of mild steel, high strength steel, stainless steel,
polyester or aramid fibers. Structural cables are made of a series of
small strands twisted or bound together to form a much larger
cable.
• Most tensile structures are supported by some form of compression
or bending elements, such as masts, compression rings or beams.
1. Cable Structure
• Redirection of forces
• Due to the horizontal
force, the load will be
moved away from the
point of suspension
• The cable transmits
the load to both sides
and the form will
follow the direction of
stresses
• The cable changes its
shape with each new
loading condition
1. Cable Structure
• Cable stress S and
horizontal thrust H are
inversely proportional
to its sag h. If the sag
is zero, cable stress
and horizontal thrust
will become infinite,
thus the suspension
cable cannot resist
the load
1. Cable Structure
• Restraining systems for stabilization • Structures for suspension points
of suspension points

• Column with
oblique cable
• Oblique column
with cable

• Trussed pylon

• Fixed-end column

• Rigid frame

• Shear wall
buttress
1. Cable Structure

Igus Headquarters, Cologne

Grimshaw & Partners
1. Cable Structure

INMOS Microprocessor Factory, Newport

Richard Rogers + Partners
1. Cable Structure

Ingalls Rink, Yale University

Eero Saarinen
p85
The rink employs an innovative structural system
in which a 90 meter reinforced concrete arch, from
which a cable net is hung, supports a timber roof.
This causes a stable, double curvature form
2. Tent Structure
• This form of construction has only become well understood
and widespread in large structures in the latter part of the
twentieth century. In tents structure, the retaining cables
provide pre-tension to the fabric and allow it to withstand loads.
• The majority of fabric structures derive their strength from their
doubly-curved shape. By forcing the fabric to take on double-
curvature, the fabric gains sufficient stiffness to withstand the
loads it is subjected to (for example wind and snow loads). In
order to induce an adequately doubly curved form it is most
often necessary to pretension or prestress the fabric or its
supporting structure.
• Tensile membrane structures are most often used as roofs as
they can economically and attractively span large distances.
2. Tent Structure - forms
• Exterior supports arranged
peripherally

• Interior arch arranged axially

• Interior support arranged

centrally
• Exterior supports arranged
centrally

• Exterior supports with hanger

cables arranged centrally

• Exterior supports with load

cables arranged centrally

• Interior supports with load

cables arranged centrally
• Exterior supports for
peripheral high points with
hanger cable arranged
centrally
2. Tent Structure
• Tent systems for spanning
rectilinear solid substructures
2. Tent Structure

Olympic Park, Munich

Gunter Behnisch

The roof covering the main stadium consisted of a PVC-

coated polyester fabric suspended on hangers
independent of the cable net. The supporting masts
held the main cables in tension, thus providing the
necessary support for hanging roof areas.
2. Tent Structure

Haj Terminal, Jeddah

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

The form and height of the fabric roof units promote

circulation of air from the open side of the support area up
to and through the open steel tension ring located at the
top of the roof unit. Mechanical fan towers placed
intermittently between the columns enhance air circulation.
3. Pneumatic Structure
• Any structure that derives its structural integrity from the use of internal
pressurized air to inflate a pliable material (i.e. structural fabric) envelope,
so that air is the main support of the structure.
• It is usually dome-shaped, since this shape creates the strongest structure
for the least amount of material. To maintain structural integrity, the
structure must be pressurized such that the internal pressure is equal to or
exceeds any external pressure being applied to the structure (i.e wind
pressure).
• Air-supported structures are secured by heavy weights on the ground,
ground anchors, attached to a foundation, or a combination of these.
3. Pneumatic Structure
There are some advantages and disadvantages as compared to conventional buildings
of similar size and application.

Advantages:
• Considerably lower initial cost than conventional buildings
• Lower operating costs due to simplicity of design (wholly air-supported structures only)
• Easy and quick to set up, dismantle, and relocate (wholly air-supported structures only)
• Unobstructed open interior space, since there is no need for columns
• Able to cover almost any project
• Custom fabric colors and sizes, including translucent fabric, allowing natural sunlight in

Disadvantages:
• Continuous operation of fans to maintain pressure, often requiring redundancy or emergency power
supply.
• Dome collapses when pressure lost or fabric compromised
• Cannot reach the insulation values of hard-walled structures, increasing heating/cooling costs
• Limited load-carrying capacity
• Conventional buildings have longer lifespan
3. Pneumatic Structure

BC Place Stadium, Vancouver

Studio Phillips Barrett

It is the world's largest air-supported domed stadium

and can seat 60,000 in its mixture of permanent and
portable light-blue plastic seats.
 3. Pneumatic Structure

South Hook LNG Dome , South Wales

Tectoniks Ltd
The strength and portability of the buildings derive from their unique design and construction.   Each structure is typically
comprised of two layers of a fire retardant composite textile connected together using formers of the same material.   The
cavity formed between the layers is pressurised with air producing an extremely rigid structural element which allows large
spans to be achieved whilst keeping the overall weight of the structure to a minimum.
3. Pneumatic Structure (Trensairity)

Cutty Sark Enclosure, Greenwich

Grimshaw & Partners
The Project consists of the erction of a temporary enclosure which protects the restoration work. The Temporary enclosure
is a self-supporting pneumatic structure made out of low-pressure airbeams.

Self-cleaning transparent ETFE membranes are spanning in long strips between the airbeams being fixed within the
pressure profile that's attached to the airtube. A slender wire mesh underneath the membrane stabilises.
4. Arch Structure
• A curved structure designed to carry loads across a gap
mainly by compression.
• The mechanical principle of the arch is precisely the same
as that of the portal frame. The straight pieces of material
joined by sharp bends are smoothened into a continuous
curve. This increases the cost of construction but greatly
reduces the stresses.
• The geometry of the curve further affects the cost and
stresses. The circular arch is easiest to construct, the
catenary arch (the theoretical shape a hanging chain or
cable will assume when supported at its ends and acted on
only by its own weight) is the most efficient.
4. Arch Structure
• The suspension cable is
able to develop only tensile
stresses under its own
weight

• The ‘cable’ turned upside

down develops only
compressive stresses of the
same magnitude
4. Arch Structure
Geometrical forms
4. Arch Structure

Exhibition Building, Turin

Pier Luigi Nervi
The vaulted construction of the hall consists of prefabricated elements which spring from in situ concrete abutments.

The units are of "ferro-cement" and have a length of approximately 15 feet and a width of 8 feet 3 inches. The thickness
of the curved precast parts is less than 2 inches. This small thickness is achieved only by the increased rigidity through
the corrugation and the transverse webs at either end. The individual units are joined by in situ concrete.
4. Arch Structure

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul

Mehmet Aga

The Mosque of Sultan Ahmed, Istanbul, on a prominent site is distinguished by its six minarets. Four enormous
piers dominate the interior and carry a dome which is buttressed by four subsidiary half-domes.
Form-active Structure?

Eco-Pavilion, Chicago
Zaha Hadid

Hadid’s curvilinear pavilion will be constructed out of fabric

stretched over an aluminum frame. The tent-like form has
been designed to be collapsible and easily re-installed.