Graphic Statics of Arches and Shells

ir. Andrew Borgart

CT5251 Special Structures

 membrane bending

“shell behaviour”
 Rain Flow Analysis, Marcel Haasnoot

Graphic Statics, John Ochsendorf

Form – Force Analysis (Graphic Statics)

CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics
CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics
CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics
CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics
CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics
Robert Hooke
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
 http://acg.media.mit.edu/people/simong/statics/Start.html

http://block.arch.ethz.ch/equilibrium/

CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of Arches

 structure

thrust line force polygon

Graphic Statics
 compression point

Graphic Statics
 thrust line

Graphic Statics
 thrust line

tension line

Graphic Statics
 tension / thrust
line line

Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
 closing string

Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
 compression line
tension line compression line

Graphic Statics
Parc Guell by Gaudi
Parc Guell by Gaudi
 ql 2
=
Hf ⇒
8

Graphic Statics
 thrust line

Graphic Statics
 thrust line

statically determinate

Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
 deformations

statically indeterminate
thrust line

Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
 (semi circle)

(parabola)

statically indeterminate

Thrust Line Circular Arch loaded by uniform distributed load

No hoop forces
CT5251 Special Structures

No hoop forces
CT5251 Special Structures

“Thrust Line” Spherical Dome

CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of Spherical Dome

CT5251 Special Structures

Internal Forces Spherical Dome

CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of Pantheon, Roma

CT5251 Special Structures

Middle-third rule
CT5251 Special Structures

Middle-third rule
CT5251 Special Structures

Middle-third rule
CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of Pantheon, Roma

CT5251 Special Structures

Filippo Brunelleschi
Giovanni Poleni
CT5251 Special Structures

Christopher Wren
 Pantheon 128, 43,4 m

Florence 1436, 42,05 / 45,52 m

Rome 1590, 41,47 m

London 1710, 38 m
Jahrhunderthalle 1913, 65 m

Stylos Ouderdag 2016

CT5251 Special Structures

Market Hall, Leipzig

 −G ⋅ R  1 
N yy = N xx =−G ⋅ R ⋅  cos a − 
(1 + cos a )  (1 + cos a )

Internal Forces Spherical Dome

CT5251 Special Structures

Internal Forces Spherical Dome

CT5251 Special Structures
CT5251 Special Structures

Internal Forces Spherical Dome

Graphic Statics of a Dome with an Oculus
CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of a Dome with an Oculus

CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of a Dome with an Oculus

CT5251 Special Structures

Graphic Statics of a Dome with an Oculus

CT5251 Special Structures
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
Graphic Statics
CT5251 Special Structures

Buckminster Fuller Dome Ohio

CT5251 Special Structures
 Frei Otto

Grid shells
Graphic Statics
f
Nicholas Grimshaw

Suspended / stiffened arches

Renzo Piano

Suspended / stiffened arches

 Maxwell / Calladine

d = dimension
j = number of joints
b = number of bars
k = kinematic constraints
m = number of mechanisms
s = state of self-stress

CT5251 Special Structures

Form stable
CT5251 Special Structures

Form stable
CT5251 Special Structures

Form stable
Vladimir Shukhov
 Vladimir Shukhov

CT5251 Special Structures

Jörg Schlaich
 Grid Shell

CT5251 Special Structures

 Glass house Kew Gardens

CT5251 Special Structures

CT5251 Special Structures

From finding grid Shell

Hanging model:
tension

Inverted hanging model:

compression

Antoni Gaudi

Hanging model reversed

 Additional loadcase gives bending

Antoni Gaudi

Hanging model: different loadcase

 Grid Shells

CT5251 Special Structures

 Grid Shells

CT5251 Special Structures

 qw qw
+ Nx - Nx

-F +F

CT5251 Special Structures

Grid shell: asymmetric wind load, internal normal forces

 asymmetric loaded arch

qw
+ My - My

CT5251 Special Structures

Grid shell: asymmetric wind load, internal out-of-plane bending

 + Mz - Mz

CT5251 Special Structures

Grid shell: asymmetric wind load, internal in-plane bending

 CT5251 Special Structures

Manheim grid Shell

Downland grid Shell

CT5251 Special Structures

Folding plates
Folding plates
Folding plates
 HH

RR

red = tension: blue = compression

CT5251 Special Structures