INTRODUCTION TO

SHELL STRUCTURES AND

CABLE STRUCTURES
SUBMITTED BY:

409140

TO

409152
 SHELL STRUCTURES
INTRODUCTION
Lattice and portal frame of buildings consist of
a structural frame which supports slab, roof and wall
coverings. This frame serves purely as the structural
support and provides protection against weather.
The roof and the wall add nothing to the strength
and rigidity of the structural frame.
A shell structure is a thin curved membrane or slab
usually of reinforced concrete that functions both as
structure and covering.
The term "shell" is used to describe the structures
which possess strength and rigidity due to its thin,
natural and curved form such as shell of an egg, a
nut, human skull, and shell of tortoise.
 SHELL STRUCTURES
FACTORS
The entire roof is primarily a structural element
Basic strength of any particular shell is inherent in its
geometrical shape and form.
Comparatively less material is required for shell roofs
than for other forms of roof construction.
The forces in the shell are comprehensive and the
restraining edges are tensile.
BEAMS – Tensile Design / Roof – Compression Design
Concrete shell roofs are constructed over a
formwork which in itself is very often a shell roof
making this format expensive, as the formwork once
used cannot be reused.
 SHELL STRUCTURES
CLASSIFICATION
SINGLE CURVATURE SHELL: They are curved on one
linear axis and are a part of a cylinder or cone in the
form of barrel vaults and conoid shells.
DOUBLE CURVATURE SHELLS: They are either part of a
sphere, or a hyperboloid of revolution.

The terms single and double curvature are used to

distinguish the comparative rigidity of the two forms
and complexity of the centering necessary to
construct the shell form.

FORMS OF CURVATURE
SURFACES OF REVOLUTION
Surfaces of revolution are generated by
the revolution of a plane curve, called
the 'meridional curve', about an axis,
called the axis of revolution.
In the case of cylindrical and conical
surfaces, the meridional curve consists of
a line segment
E.g.. : cylinders, cones, spherical or
elliptical domes, hyperboloids of
revolution, toroid.
SHELL STRUCTURES
SURFACES OF TRANSLATION
Surfaces of translation are generated by
sliding a plane curve along another
plane curve, while keeping the
orientation of the sliding curve constant.
The latter curve, on which the original
curve slides, is called the generator of
the surface.
In the case in which the generator is a
straight line, the resulting surface is called
a cylindrical surface.
Surfaces of translation with rectangular
plan: Elliptical Paraboloid; Cylindrical
Paraboloid; Hyperbolic Paraboloid
RULED SURFACES
Ruled surfaces are generated by sliding
each end of the straight line on their own
generating curve.
These lines are not necessarily at right
angle to the plane containing the end
curves.
Cooling tower generated by straight
lines.
Conoid, generated by straight line
travelling along another straight line at
one end and curved line at other end.
 SHELL STRUCTURES
FORMS OF CURVATURE
DEVELOPABLE SURFACE-Singly curved NON-DEVELOPABLE-Doubly curved
It is a surface that can be unrolled Surfaces with double curvature cannot be developed, I.e., surfaces with positive and
negative Gaussian surface cannot be developed
onto a flat plane w/o tearing or
stretching it. SYNCLASTIC SHELLS ANTICLASTIC SHELLS
These shells are doubly curved and These shells are doubly curved but
It is formed by bending a flat plane have a similar curvature in each each of the two curves have the
direction opposite direction to the other.
The most typical shape of a
developable shell is 'barrel' and it is Dome is the best example and can Conoids, hyperboloids, hyperbolic
be formed by rotating a curved line paraboloid are all anticlastic because
curved in only one direction; they around an axis they are saddle shaped with different
are typically supported at corners curvature in each direction and
and behave structurally as beams. The dome is under compression straight line can be drawn on the
everywhere, and the stresses act surface
along the arch and hoop lines.
 SHELL STRUCTURES
TYPES OF SHELLS
FOLDED PLATE SHELLS CYLINDRICAL BARREL VAULT DOMES OF REVOLUTION
Distinguishing feature: ease in Barrel vaults are the most useful of They are one of the earliest form of
forming plane surfaces. the shell structures. the shell structures.
Is formed for about the same cost as They can span up to 150feet with They are formed by a surface
a slab and has much less steel and minimum material. generated by a curve of any form
concrete for the same spans. revolving about a vertical line.
They are efficient because they
Principal components: inclined use the arch form to reduce The resulting surface has a double
plates, edge plates, stiffeners and stresses and thickness in the curvature and the resulting
columns. transverse direction. structure is much stiffer and stronger
than a single curved surface.
 SHELL STRUCTURES
MATERIALS
The material most suited for the construction of shell
structures is concrete.
Concrete is used because it is a highly plastic material ,
when first mixed with water, it can take up any shape
on centering or inside formwork.
Small sections of reinforcement easily bend to follow the
curvature of shells.
Once the cement sets and the concrete hardens, the
R.C.C membrane acts as a strong, rigid shell which
serves as both the structure and the cover of the
building
.
 SHELL STRUCTURES
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Very light form of construction; to span 30.0m , shell
thickness requires is 60mm
Dead load can be reduced, economizing foundation
and support system.
They are costlier than part frames structures
The problem of shuttering occurs.
The formation of centering of shell is very high

They possess more strength compared to other Rise of roof may become a disadvantage
structures.
Greater accuracy of framework is required
Can be shaped in various form increasing its aesthetic
appeal. The cost of labor is high
 SHELL STRUCTURES
EXAMPLES
The finest example of a shell structure Another example is the Lotus Eero Saarinen's Kresge
is the Sydney Opera House, Australia Temple by Fariborz Sahba in Auditorium of
by Jorn Utzon. New Delhi Massachusetts is also well
known for its shell roof.

.
 CABLE STRUCTURES
INTRODUCTION

A cable is a flexible structural component that

offers no resistance when compressed or bent in
a curved shape. Technically we can say cable
has zero bending rigidity.
It can only support tensile loading
Cables are often used in engineering structures
for support and to transmit load from one point to
another when used to support suspension roofs,
bridges and trolley wheels, cables form the main
load carrying element in the structure.
 CABLE STRUCTURES
FACTORS

 Being inextensible the cable has constant length

before and after the load is applied. As a result
once the load is applied the geometry of cable
remains fixed
The easiest structure type to think is a tension
structure to resist only tensile force and of these ,
the simplest are those which sustain only
unidirectional tension as represented by a cable
or thin rod
 CABLE STRUCTURES
TYPES OF CABLE STRUCTURES –Suspension type cable
SUSPENSION TYPE CABLE STRUCTURES

 A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck

(the load-bearing portion) is hung below suspension
cables on vertical suspenders.
This type of bridge has cables suspended between
towers, plus vertical suspender cables that carry the
weight of the deck below, upon which traffic crosses.
This arrangement allows the deck to be level or to arc
upward for additional clearance.
Akashi Kaikyo Suspension bridge
 The main type of force in a suspension bridge are tension
in cables and compression in the pillars.
The suspension cables must be anchored at each end
of the bridge, since any load applied to the bridge is
transformed into a tension in these main cables.

Load bearing mechanism of suspension bridges


SUSPENSION TYPE CABLE STRUCTURE
ADVANTAGES
Suspension bridges have a high strength to weight
ratio.
They are flexible (can also be disadvantage) and can
span long distances with no piers therefore good on
very high places, across water etc. and they require
little access from below aiding construction.
They can be very thin and therefore less visible.
They have an elegant look.
The area spanned by a suspension bridge is very long
in proportion to the amount of materials required to
construct bridges.
CABLE STRUCTURES
DISADVANTAGES
Suspension bridges are flexible, which is an advantage
until conditions become severe. Instability in extremely
turbulent conditions or during strong earthquakes may
require temporary closure
When built in soft ground, suspension bridges require
extensive and expensive foundation work to combat the
effects of the heavy load on foundation towers.
Flexibility also becomes a disadvantage when heavy,
concentrated loads are involved.
Suspension bridges are not generally used for regional rail
crossings that carry maximum weight loads, which adds
dangerous stress to the structure.
 CABLE STRUCTURES
TYPES OF CABLE STRUCTURES- Stayed type cable structure
STAYED TYPE CABLE STRUCTURE

 A cable-stayed bridge has one or more towers (or pylons), from

which cables support the bridge deck.
There are two major classes of cable-stayed bridges: harp and
fan.
 In the harp or parallel design, the cables are nearly parallel so
that the height of their attachment to the tower is proportional to
the distance from the tower to their mounting on the deck.
 In the fan design, the cables all connect to or pass over the top of
the towers. Rion-Antirion Bridge
A cantilever approach is often used to support the bridge deck
near the towers, but lengths further from them are supported by
cables running directly to the towers.

Load bearing mechanism of stayed-type

bridges
 CABLE STRUCTURES
CABLE-STAYED STRUCTURES
ADVANTAGES

The cable-stayed deck is in compression, pulled towards the

towers, and has to be stiff at all stages of construction and use.
A great advantage of the cable-stayed bridge is that it is
essentially made of cantilevers, and can be constructed by
building out from the towers.
cable-stayed bridges possess higher stiffness and display
smaller deflections when compared with suspension bridges
Construction time is less for cable stayed bridges. Cable
Stayed Bridges require less cables
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