Construction

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Manfred Hegger • Volker Auch-Schwelk • Polymers + Membranes
Matthias Fuchs • Thorsten Rosenkranz
ISBN 978-3-7643-7570-6
• Comprehensive fundamental information on
Energy Manual production, processing and applications

Manual for
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Thomas Stark • Martin Zeumer
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semi-finished products
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Construction Manual for Polymers + Membranes

Facade Construction Manual • Building physics aspects and environmental
Thomas Herzog • Roland Krippner • Werner Lang impact
ISBN 978-3-7643-7109-8

Polymers +
Flat Roof Construction Manual • Form-finding and analysis of membranes
Klaus Sedlbauer • Eberhard Schunck • and structures built with polymers
Rainer Barthel • Hartwig M. Künzel
ISBN 978-3-0346-0658-5 • For the first time ever, an overview of important
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Interior Construction Manual Part B: Materials
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Masonry Construction Manual Part D: Planning and form-finding
Joachim Achtziger • Günter Pfeifer •
Rolf Ramcke • Konrad Zilch Part E: Building with polymers and membranes
ISBN 978-3-7643-6543-1

Materials
Part F: Case studies
Refurbishment Manual 
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Part G: Appendix
Florian Musso • Karl-Heinz Petzinka • Alexander Rudolphi
ISBN 978-3-7643-9946-7 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-3-7643-9947-4 (softcover) semi-finished products Authors:
Roof Construction Manual  Pitched Roofs  
Eberhard Schunck • Hans-Jochen Oster •
Rainer Barthel • Kurt Kiessl
form-finding Jan Knippers, Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Jan Cremers, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Architect
Markus Gabler, Dipl.-Ing.
ISBN 978-3-7643-6986-6
Timber Construction Manual
design Julian Lienhard, Dipl.-Ing.

Thomas Herzog • Julius Natterer • Roland Schweitzer • Editors:

Wolfgang Winter • Roland Schweitzer • Michael Volz Cornelia Hellstern, Dipl.-Ing.
ISBN 978-3-7643-7025-1 Eva Schönbrunner, Dipl.-Ing.
Jana Rackwitz, Dipl.-Ing.

Knippers

Edition ∂

Edition ∂
Judith Faltermeier, Dipl.-Ing. Architect
For further information on ∂, Institut für internationale Architektur-
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CREMERS
Review of Architecture, please see:
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Authors
Jan Knippers, Prof. Dr.-Ing.
Institute of Building Structures & Structural Design (itke)
Faculty of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Stuttgart
Specialist articles:
Joost Hartwig, Dipl.-Ing.; Martin Zeumer, Dipl.-Ing. (Environmental
impact of polymers)
Field of Study Design & Energy-Efficient Construction, Department of
Architecture, Technische Universität Darmstadt

Jan Cremers, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Architect Carmen Köhler, Dipl.-Ing. (Natural fibre-reinforced polymers and
Faculty of Architecture & Design biopolymers)
Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart Institute of Building Structures & Structural Design (itke),
Faculty of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Stuttgart
Markus Gabler, Dipl.-Ing.
Institute of Building Structures & Structural Design (itke) Consultants:
Faculty of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Stuttgart Christina Härter, Dipl.-Ing. (Polymers)
Institute of Polymer Technology (IKT), University of Stuttgart
Julian Lienhard, Dipl.-Ing.
Institute of Building Structures & Structural Design (itke) Andreas Kaufmann, MEng (Complex building envelopes);
Faculty of Architecture & Urban Planning, University of Stuttgart Philip Leistner, Dr.-Ing. (Building physics and energy aspects)
Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP), Stuttgart/Holzkirchen
Assistants:
Sabrina Brenner, Cristiana Cerqueira, Charlotte Eller, Manfred Hammer, Alexander Michalski, Dr.-Ing. (Loadbearing structure and form)
Dipl.-Ing.; Petra Heim, Dipl.-Ing.; Carina Kleinecke, Peter Meschendörfer, Chair of Structural Analysis, Technische Universität Munich
Elena Vlasceanu
Mauricio Soto, MA Arch. (Building with textile membranes)
studio LD

Jürgen Troitzsch, Dr. rer. nat. (Building physics and energy aspects)
Fire & Environment Protection Service, Wiesbaden

Editorial services Bibliographic information published by the German National Library.

Editors:
Judith Faltermeier, Dipl.-Ing. Architect; Cornelia Hellstern, Dipl.-Ing.;
Jana Rackwitz, Dipl.-Ing.; Eva Schönbrunner, Dipl.-Ing.
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Peter Popp, Dipl.-Ing.
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Michael Folkmer, Dipl.-Ing.; Marion Griese, Dipl.-Ing.;
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Emese Köszegi, Dipl.-Ing.; Nicola Kollmann, Dipl.-Ing. Architect;
Simon Kramer, Dipl.-Ing.; Elisabeth Krammer, Dipl.-Ing.
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Translation into English: Publisher:

Gerd H. Söffker, Philip Thrift, Hannover Institut für internationale Architektur-Dokumentation
GmbH & Co. KG, Munich
Proofreading: www.detail.de
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4
Contents

Preface 6 Part E Building with polymers and

membranes

Part A Polymers and membranes in   1 Building with semi-finished

architecture polymer products 160
  2 Building with free-form polymers  174
 The discovery and development   3 Building with foil 188
of polymers 10   4 Building with textile membranes 196
 The dream of the polymer house 12   5 Complex building envelopes 212
  Development of tensile surface structures 16
 Structures with transparent and
translucent envelopes 21 Part F  Case studies
 Potential, trends and challenges 24
  Examples 1 to 23 225

Part B  Materials
Part G  Appendix
  1  Polymers 30
 2  Fibres 48   Statutory instruments, directives,
  3 Adhesives and coatings 54   standards 286
  4 Natural fibre-reinforced polymers   Bibliography 287
and biopolymers 60   Authors 289
  Picture credits 290
  Abbreviations for polymers 292
Part C  Semi-finished products   Index 292
  Index of names 295
  1  Primary products 68
  2 Fibre-reinforced polymers  76
  3  Semi-finished polymer products  82
  4  Foil 94
  5 Textile membranes 100
  6 Building physics and energy aspects 108
  7 Environmental impact of polymers 124


Part D  Planning and form-finding

  1  Loadbearing structure and form 134

  2 Detailed design aspects  150

5
 Part A  Polymers and
membranes in architecture

The discovery and development

of polymers 10
From alchemy to chemistry 10
Polymer chemistry and industrial production 11
Polymers in furniture and industrial design 11
The spread of polymers  12

The dream of the polymer house 12

First buildings of glass fibre-reinforced
polymer (GFRP) 13
The polymer module for the house of
tomorrow 13
Plastic houses as an expression of
visionary ideas  14
Building with polymers and the
first oil crisis 14
Room modules made from polymers –
industrial prefabrication and batch
production  14
Polymers today 15

Development of tensile surface structures 16

The lightweight tensile surface structures
of Frei Otto 16
Pneumatic structures 17
Cable nets and membrane roofs for sports
stadiums 19
Tensile surface structures in contemporary
architecture 20
Materials in membrane architecture –
from natural to synthetic fibre fabrics
and polymer foil 20

Structures with transparent and

translucent envelopes 21

Potential, trends and challenges 24

Applications and potential 24
Trends and developments 25
Challenges 27

Fig. A Mobile membrane pavilion, Stuttgart (D), 2006,

Julian Leinhard

9
 Part B  Materials

1  Polymers 30
Classification of polymers 30
Production of polymers 31
Fillers and additives 32
Properties of polymers  34
Thermoplastics  40
Elastomers  44
Thermosets  46

2  Fibres 48
Properties and applications  48
Inorganic fibres  50
Polymer fibres  51
Natural fibres  53
Metal fibres  53

3  Adhesives and coatings 54

Adhesives  54
Coatings  57

4  Natural fibre-reinforced polymers

and biopolymers 60
Natural fibre-reinforced polymers  60
Natural fibres 61
Biopolymers  62
Natural fibre-reinforced biopolymers  64
A vision of the future of building  65

Fig. B Translucent facade panel made from glass fibre-

reinforced polymer

29
 Part C  Semi-finished products

1  Primary products 68
Preparing the polymer 68
Textiles 69
Core materials  72

2  Fibre-reinforced polymers 76
Constituents  76
Properties of fibre-reinforced polymers  77
Production  78

3  Semi-finished polymer products  82

Sections  82
Planar products  85
Moulded items 91
Special semi-finished products for
engineering applications 92

4  Foil 94
Production of foil 94
Semi-finished products and
forms of supply 96
Keders  99

5  Textile membranes 100

Requirements profile for membrane
materials 100
Coatings  100
Semi-finished products and
forms of supply 103
Mechanical properties 105
Fabrication  106
Webbing belts 107

6 Building physics and energy aspects 108

Thermal insulation characteristics 108
Light and heat radiation characteristics 113
Moisture characteristics 117
Sound insulation and room acoustics 117
Reaction to fire and fire protection 119
Further characteristics 121
Polymers in the active use of renewable
energies 122

7  Environmental impact of polymers 124
Life cycle assessment 124
The influence of the LCA in the life
cycle of a polymer 128

Fig. C Temporary terminal building, Vienna (A), 2005,

Itten + Brechbühl, Baumschlager Eberle P.ARC

67
 Part D  Planning and form-finding

1 Loadbearing structure
and form 134
Structural systems  134
Geometry of lightweight
surface structures 136
Tensile surface structures  138

2 Detailed design aspects  150

Calculations  150
Testing and approval  154
Quality control and industrial safety 156

Fig. D  Close-up view of soap bubbles

133
 Part E  Building with
poly­mers and membranes

1 Building with semi-finished

polymer products 160
Means of connection  161
Sections  165
Sheets  168
Moulded items  171

2 Building with free-form polymers 174

Unreinforced polymers  174
Fibre-reinforced polymers  176
Mouldmaking  184

3  Building with foil 188

Cushion lay-up and form  188
Details  190
Air supplies for pneumatic structures  192
Safety of cushion structures 194
Mechanically prestressed foil 194
Cable net support systems 195

4  Building with textile membranes 196

Elements of the construction 197
Seams 198
Linear supports 201
Edges  202
Corner details  206
High and low points 210

5 Complex building envelopes 212

The envelope design brief 212
Special aspects of foil and
membrane designs 214
Combinations of polymer and glass 222

Fig. E Roof covering to a shopping centre in the form of

air-filled ETFE cushions, Amadora (P), 2009,
Promontorio Architects

159
 Part F  Case studies

01  Baar-Baarenfels, facade design and interior fitting-out, Vienna (A) 226

02  Marco Serra, reception pavilion, Basel (CH) 229

03  Foster + Partners, “The Walbrook” office and retail development, London (UK) 232

04  Takeshi Hosaka, private house, Minamituru-gunn (J) 234

05  Atelier Architecture King Kong, Seeko’o Hotel, Bordeaux (F) 236

06  Pfeifer Roser Kuhn, private house, Müllheim (D) 237

07  Squire & Partners, flagship store and company headquarters, London (UK) 240

08  Selgas Cano, office pavilion, Madrid (E) 243

09  KHR arkitekter, company headquarters, Middelfart (DK) 244

10  Deffner Voitländer, house and office, Dachau (D) 245

11  Zaha Hadid Architects, Mobile Art – Chanel Contemporary Art Container 248

12  raumlaborberlin, “Mobile Action Space” 252

13  Jabornegg & Pálffy, bank, Bratislava (SK) 253

14  Promontorio Architetcts, shopping centre, Amadora (P) 256

15 L35/Ganz & Muller Architectes Associés/GM2A Architectes,

leisure centre, Neydens (F) 258

16  Herzog + Partner, training centre for mountain rescue service, Gaißach (D) 260

17 SBA Architekten, roof over circulation zone at EXPO 2010, Shanghai (CN) 262

18  hg merz architekten museumsgestalter, memorial, Sachsenhausen (D) 268

19  von Gerkan, Marg & Partner, Olympic stadium, Berlin (D) 270

20  Foster + Partners, refurbishment and conversion of main railway station, Dresden (D) 273

21 Murphy/Jahn, passenger terminal complex,

Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok (T) 277

22  Behnisch Architekten, canopy over Forum, “Old Spinning Mill”, Kolbermoor (D) 280

23  Nikolai Kugel Architekten, open-air theatre, Josefsburg Arena, Kufstein (A) 282
Fig. F Manually laminated GFRP panels, Mobile Art –
Chanel Contemporary Art Container, Zaha Hadid
Architects

225