THESIS DISSERTATION

ON

SPACE FRAMES IN LARGE SPAN STRUCTURES

SUSHRUT SHANKAR
2014UAR1465

A REPORT ON THE THESIS DISSERTATION

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

MALAVIYA NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
JAIPUR

(Dr. Nand Kumar) Guided By- Kalpana Pandit

UG Thesis Coordinator ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Department of Architecture & Department of Architecture &
Planning Planning
MNIT, Jaipur
CONTENT
- INTRODUCTION
- WHAT ARE SPACE FRAMES ?
- WHY SPACE FRAMES ?
- EVOLUTION OF SPACE FRAMES
- CURRENT SCENARIO OF SPACE FRAMES
- SCOPE OF WORK
- LIMITATIONS

- CLASSIFICATION
- MATERIALS
- ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
- INFERENCE
- LIST OF LITERATURE CASE STUDY
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
PROJECT INTRODUCTION

DISSERTATION TOPIC: LARGE SPAN STRUCTURES

INTRODUCTION:

Large span roofs are generally defined as those that exceed 12 m in span.
Large span roofs can create flexible, column-free internal spaces and can
reduce substructure costs and construction times. They are commonly found
in a wide range of building types such as factories, warehouses, agricultural
buildings, hangars, large shops, public halls, gymnasiums and arenas.

Their primary functions are, similar to normal roofs, typically, protecting

against the weather, restricting the spread of fire, providing sound and thermal
insulation and so on. However, as they may offer the only structural system
other than the perimeter walls, they may also have to provide support
for building services, access routes, lifting equipment, lighting, and so on.

ABSTRACT:

The study examines the various types of roof structures done by different
materials and their respective properties. The idea is to find the best suitable
for making a large span meditation hall with symmetric features in them and
whose shape has a property to withstand load more than its material .
Including the fact that it can provide proper ventilation and lighting while
remaining structurally stable.
PROJECT SCOPE

SCOPE OF STUDY:

 to provide structures like these in the manifest center

 as in architecture, large span structures plays an important in the
understanding form and material of that structure
 symmetric meditation halls provide the required environment for
resonance and reflection of energies
 to provide sufficiently lit places and dark spaces in its premise
 to make structures in harmony with the forces of nature

LITERATURE REVIEW:
SPACE FRAMES –

A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid

structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern.
Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports.
 Why space frames ?
The study examines the various types of roof structures done by space
frames . The idea is to find the best suitable for making a large span
meditation hall with symmetric features in them and whose shape has a
property to withstand load more than its material . Including the fact that
it can provide proper ventilation and lighting while remaining
structurally stable and comparatively light weighted as compared to
traditional materials used to do the same .

SPACE FRAME COMPONENTS

Member

• Members are axial elements with

Circular or rectangular sections,

All members can only

Resist tension or compression.

•The space grid is built of relatively long tension members and short
compression members. A trend is

Very noticeable in which the structural members are left exposed as a part of
the architectural expression

Joints

• In a space frame, connecting joints play an important role, both functional

and aesthetic, which derives from their rationality during construction and
after completion.

•Since joints have a decisive effect on

The strength and stiffness of the

Structure and compose around 20 to

30 percent of the total weight, joint design is critical to space frame Economy
and safety.

LOAD DISTRIBUTION

The simplest form of space frame is a horizontal slab of interlocking square

pyramids and tetrahedral built from aluminium or tubular steel struts.

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.

CLASSIFICATION ON ARRANGMENT OF ELEMENTS

Single layered
all elements are located on the surface

Double layered
-organised in two parallel layers with
each other at certain distance apart .
- the diagonal bars connecting the
nodes of both layers in different
directions in space

Triple layered
-placed in three parallel layers
-connected by diagonals
- always flat
CURVATURE CLASIFICATION

Space plane covers (flat covers)

- compose of planar substructures
- shear forces are taken by diagonals

Barrel vaults
- has cross-section of simple vault
-doesn’t have tetrahedral modules
or pyramidal as a part of its backing

Spherical domes
- usually requires the use of tetrahedral
modules or pyramids and an additional
support from a skin

Materials
STEEL:
steel material which is used for the space frames sustain more load and carry tones of
weight and requires proper maintenance

TIMBER
used since time immemorial , timber has always been a good material for structures like
trusses but has a lower load bearing capacity than steel

thin architectural membrane (such as PVC polyester )can be used to cover these frames
for aesthetic purposes
Many large span structures have also been covered with copper, aluminium, acrylic,
plexi-glass panels, and so on.
`

The aspect ratio of the plan, defined here as the ratio of a longer span to a shorter span,
has more influence than the span of the double layer grids.
EVOLUTION

- Alexander Graham Bell from 1898 to 1908 developed space frames based on
tetrahedral geometry. Bell's interest was primarily in using them to make rigid frames for
nautical and aeronautical engineering, with the tetrahedral truss being one of his
inventions.
- Dr. Ing. Max Mengeringhausen developed the space grid system called MERO
(acronym of MEngeringhausen ROhrbauweise) in 1943 in Germany, thus initiating the
use of space trusses in architecture.
-
Buckminster Fuller patented the octet truss in 196 while focusing
on architectural structures.

CURRENT SCENARIO
Space frames in current types have evolved from being just a span roofing solution to a
whole new level where it acts as the external skin for buildings having wave facades like
Hayder Aliyev by Zaha Hadid .
Large span structures like vaults and factories to airport hangers.
Largest domes across the globes have been made by space frames.
SCOPE OF STUDY

- To provide space frame structures in the ‘manifest meditation centre’

- To create more fluid structures with large spans

- To create roofs that are light in weight

- To provide sufficiently lit places and dark spaces in its premise

- To make structures in harmony with the forces of nature

LIMITATIONS

-Space frame truss can be used for a platform or overhead structure that spans large
distances without need for internal load bearing support.

-Space frames are advantageous compared to other common structures by their; light
weight, mass production, stiffness, and versatility.

-Space frame connections can be made by; welding, bolting, or threading.

-Space frame construction utilize three main methods of erection;

1. scaffold method
2. block assembly Method, lift-up method.

ADVANTAGES OF SPACE FRAMES

-Light weight
-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.
-Durable materials & protective finishes.
-No site painting or welding.
DISADVANTAGES
-One major disadvantage is that they can be difficult to engineer.

-It's not straightforward to determine how forces will distribute throughout a structure
that has a lot of redundant pieces.

London Stansted Airport in London

Biosphere 2 in oracle Arizona

Maitrimandir in Auroville , pondichery

Heyder Aliyev centre in Baku, Azerbaijan

INFERENCE
The study and research that has gone into this topic , there are a lot of things that can be
taken to my design of Meditation Centre .
Not only will it allow me to design better but understand the nature of how load gets
distributed in any given structure.

What we see in a space frame is , the distribution of load is also very much dependant
on the arrangement of its struts and joints .
Hence the structure is stable as it remains in equilibrium under natural forces acting on
it continuously.

It is shown how a slab takes the load from itself to beams and columns . What we see is it
is by the virtue of the property of material the slab is intact . This is not a very natural and
a balanced form and therefore limits the span .

The frame structure will be a combination of double layered and triple layered grids .
This is to keep the 3 sides closed and one side open
for future expansion and adding layers

The support columns coming in the large span structure will be reduced if the roof’s skin
is extended to the ground along its periphery as done in geodesic domes.
Hence the amount of columns will be reduced
According to the curvature classification , the shape ill use for meditation hall will be of a
vault structure with three sides closed and one side open , who’s extend can be altered
from the front. This too will have different curvatures at different points to alter its form .

The space frame grid for this shape will have a double layered grid having tetrahedral
units connected with diagonal members to the 2nd layer which is a combination of
hexagons.

Alternative design

free form space is the new trend that’s going

on around the world . Fluid forms are
possible because of this method .
Usually when done the skin acts like the
support system of the whole roof
The distribution is such that the base layer
has a set patters of hexagons having voids in
them above which tetrahedral units come in
a grid pattern . This as a whole allows the
structure to bend and twist according to the
form extracted .

CONCLUSION

The literature review done gave an idea of how space frame works and how it can be
used to for roofs with different designs and purposes while being a light weight and rigid
structure.

This proves that large span structures can be made out of space frames that can compete
with other concrete steel structures.

LITERATURE CASE STUDIES

- Xujiahui Commercial Center in Shanghai, China

- British Museum court, London
- Yas hotel , Abu Dabi
- Eden Project in Cornwall, England
- Hayder Aliyev , Baku
- DSWMC facility in Qatar
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

1- Aurellio Muttoni
The Art of Structures
March, 2011
Switzerland
Structure Magazine
269 pages

2- GS. Ramaswamy
Analysis, Design and Construction of Steel Space Frames
January 1, 2002
India
IISC
186 pages
3- N.Subramanian,
Space structures: principles and practice
1 Jun 2007
India
Bharti Bhawan
volume 1

RESEARCH PAPER –

1- Tien T. Lan
Space frame structures
Civil department ,
Chinese academy of building research, Beijing
IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology

2- Er. Prashant R. Barbude Assistant Professor

Advantages of tensile structures over other space frame structures
Civil Engineering Department,
DattaMeghe College of Engineering,Airoli
IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
WEBSITES -

1- Butterworth-Heinemann
long span roof
Designing building

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Long_span_roof#Space_frame
25th September 2018

2- Majo wiecki
space frames
studio forms
www.majowiecki.com
19th sept 2018

DOCUMENTRY –

How much does your building weigh Mr foster

February 2010

Production companies: Aiete-Ariane Films S.A