LONG SPAN

STRUCTURES
DONE BY : S.LITHIKA
38210040
DESIGN STUDIO 7
What is a long span?

• What we consider long span structures are structures with

spans larger than 20 meters.
• The most common types of long-span structures are
trusses, folded plates, shell structures, frames, and tent
structures or tensile structures.
• Also, another alternative for large-span structures is the
diagrid systems commonly used in high-rise buildings. Here,
we showcase 5 projects with long-span structures where
architects did not sacrifice their clear and spacious halls.
shell structures system

• The word shell is an old one and is commomly used to describe

the hard covering of eggs,crustacea, tortoises, etc,.
• Derived from the word scalus, as in fish scale.
• the development of mansonry domes and vaults in the middle
ages made possible the construction of more spacious building. in
more recent times the availability of reinforced concrete has
stimulated of more interest in the use shells for roofing purposes.
• Shell structure, in building construction, a thin, curved plate
structure shaped to transmit applied forces by compressive,
tensile, and shear stresses that act in the plane of the surface. They
are usually constructed of concrete reinforced with steel mesh..
• Thin parabolic shell vaults stiffened with ribs have been built
with spans up to about 300 ft (90 m). More complex forms of
concrete shells have been made, including hyperbolic
paraboloids, or saddle shapes, and intersecting parabolic vaults
less than 0.5 in. (1.25 cm) thick. Pioneering thin-shell designers
include Felix Candela and Pier Luigi Nervi.
THE ACTION OF EXTERNAL FORCE ON A STRUCTURE

• A compression/compressive force will cause a member of structure to be

squasged.
• A tension/tensile force cause a member of structure to be stretched.
• A bending force is a complex force state associated with the bowing of a
member such as beam, its causes fiber on one face of the member to elongate
and hence be in tension and fibers on the opposite face to compress.
• A torsion/torsional force cause a member to be twisted.
• A shear force cause a member to slide/filt to a side.
 shell system materials

Shell structrue can be made of such materials are, 2.GLASS & STEEL

1. reinforced thin shell concrete. Shell structure, in building construction, a thin,

2. glass curved plate structure shaped to transmit
3. steel applied forces by compressive, tensile, and shear
4. glass&steel stresses that act in the plane of the surface. They
5. plastic. are usually constructed of concrete reinforced
with steel mesh
1.REINFORCED THIN SHELL CONCRETE

The material most suited for

3. PLASTIC
construction of shell structure is concrete because it is a
highly plastic material when first mixed with water that
A shell is a thin-walled structure in which the
can take up any shape on centering or inside formwork.
material fills the space between two parallel or
small section of reinforcing
nearly parallel surfaces, the mean surface that
bars to follow curvature of shells.
halves the shell thickness being known as the
middle surface of the shell.
STIFFENING BEAM AND ARCH
1.Torino Exhibition by Pier Luigi Nervi
As a multidisciplinary architect, Nervi has
innovated the two-way, reinforced concrete
space frame.which was built in 1949.

The building mainly incorporates two

materials: glass and Ferro cement. If it
wasn’t for the unique structural
characteristics of Ferro cement, this hall
would not have come together.

Each one of the “Ferro-cement” units has a

length of 15 feet and a width of 8.3 feet. (4.6
m x 2.5 m). The long-span hall is
rectangular and covers an area of 240 feet x
309 feet(95 m x 74). Additionally,
prefabricated elements are used to construct
the half-dome roof.
2. Taoyuan International Airport by ARUP
*Taoyuan International Airport is
the largest in Taiwan and the
eleventh busiest airport in the
world.
* Due to the increasing numbers
of passengers, Taiwan has
introduced many expansion
projects to the airport, one of
which is Terminal 3.
*Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
have won a competition to design
the terminal in collaboration with
ARUP Group who is considerably
experienced in airport design.
*The structure is designed to reflect the
unique surrounding landscape of the city.

* A series of four-legged towers support the

massive shell roof. Here, the roof span is 80
meters long and the project covers an area of
640,000 m.sq.

*Although the roof is hard, the ceiling takes

the form of a soft ductile surface that
encloses the different functions taking place
inside the building.

Additionally, ARUP achieved significant

savings in the cost of fire protection in this
structure, while at the same time achieving
the client’s aesthetic requirements.
 3.TGV Railway Station by Santiago
Calatrava
*In the historical city of
Liège, Belgium, the
renowned Spanish
architect Santiago
Calatrava designed a high-
speed train station.
* The steel structure of
the station manifests
rhythm, transparency, and
movement. *The steel and
the glass create a vaulted
shading canopy, allowing
for a great deal of natural
light.
• Glazed balustrades and stainless steel
complement the station’s structure to
generate a unique form. People have
described it as brave, dreamlike, and
innovative. This massive structure is
590 ft in span and the structural
elements are all made of steel and
glass, in addition to concrete cast on-
site. Calatrava used concrete to its full
potential, in this project. In fact, the
European Concrete Societies Network
(ECSN) selected the building as a
winner of the 2006 Award for
Excellence, acknowledging its unique
use of concrete.