ARC5305 Long-Span & Special

Structures
Chapter Five

Shells and Domes

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Domes
 Outlines
Introduction
Types of shell structures
Domes

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 Introduction
A shell is a type of structural element which is
characterized by its geometry, being a 3D solid
whose thickness is very small when compared with
other dimensions and in structural terms, by the
stress resultants calculated in the middle plane
displaying components which are both coplanar
and normal to the surface.

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 Introduction
 All buildings are meant to enclose spaces.
 Most of the different types of superstructures we
commonly use for present day building are only a
modification of the age old system of column, beam
and roof covering arrangements.
 They fulfill their function by two separate systems.
 One is the space covering system to cover the space
such as concrete slab or roof covering sheets.
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 Introduction
 These are supported by a second system of beams and
columns which we may call the supporting system.
 In many steel buildings they are obviously separate and in
RC buildings also they are treated as two separate systems.
 In reinforced concrete shells however, the two functions
of covering the space and supporting the covering system
are integrated into one. The structure covers the space
without beams and columns within the buildings.

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 Introduction
 Thin shells constitute a class of structures where form not
mass plays a significant role in resisting external actions as
well as self-weight of the system.
 Essentially, a shell can be derived from a plate by two means:
by initially forming the middle surface as a singly or doubly
curved surface and by applying loads which are coplanar to a
plate's plane which generate significant stresses.
 Shells of double curvature are among the most efficient of
known structural forms.
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 Introduction
 Shells belong to the family of arches.
 They can be defined as curved or angled structures
capable of transmitting loads in more than two
directions to supports.
 A shell with one curved surface is known as a barrel
shell (single curvature ).
 A shell with doubly curved surface is known as a
dome (double curvature).
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 Introduction
Shell action in relation to Beam, Arch and Plate
actions
The property that makes both arches and shells
capable of resisting external transverse loadings by
extensional or membrane action as opposed to
flexural or bending action in beams and plates is
curvature.

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 Introduction
 Extensional or membrane actions are any in-plane direct
forces whether tensile or compressive.
 Structural materials are generally more efficient when
resisting loads in the extensional (membrane) mode rather
than the flexural mode.
 In beams and plates, transverse external loads do not give rise
to any appreciable extensional action within these elements
provided the displacements after deformation remain relatively
small in relation to the transverse dimension of the elements.

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 Introduction
Arches and shells can resist distributed transverse
applied loads almost wholly by extensional action.
This can take place if the loading pattern of a certain
specific type and suitable boundary conditions are
provided.
In practice, a mixture of extensional and flexural
actions usually occurs in arches and shells since the
above ideal conditions are not usually satisfied.
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 Introduction
For these structural elements, good design consists
of minimizing the flexural actions.
For shells, the relative proportions of extensional
and flexural effects at a given point depend on
several factors such as the type of shell surface,
support conditions, loading configuration and the
proximity of edges and certain discontinuities.

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 Types of shell structures
Shells can be classified based on different criteria:
 Thickness
 Geometric form
 Shell curvature
 Geometric developability

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 Types of shell structures
Classification of shells based on thickness
Depending on the ratio of their thickness to
respective radius of curvature, shells are classified
as membrane, thin and thick shells.
Membrane
between Thin shell
Thick shell

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 Types of shell structures
Classification of shells based on geometric form
a) Surfaces of revolution
 Surfaces of revolution are generated by rotating a
plane curve called the meridian about an axis that is
not necessarily intersecting the meridian.
 Examples:- Circular cylinders, cones, spherical or
elliptical domes, hyperboloids of revolution and
toroids
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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures
b) Surfaces of translation
A surface of translation is defined as the surface
generated by keeping a plane curve parallel to its
initial plane as we move it along another plane
curve.
The two planes containing the two curves are at
right angles to each other.

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 Types of shell structures
The latter curve on which the original curve slides
is called the generator of the surface.
In the special case in which the generator is a
straight line the resulting surface is called a
cylindrical surface.
Examples:- Elliptic paraboloid, Cylindrical
paraboloid and Hyperbolic paraboloid

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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures
c) Ruled surfaces
 Ruled surfaces are obtained by the translation of
straight lines over two end curves.
 The straight lines are not necessarily at right angles to
the planes containing the end curves.
 Conoid generated by straight line traveling along
another straight line at one end and curved line at
other end.
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 Types of shell structures
Classification of shells based on shell curvature
a) Singly curved shells
These shells have a zero Gaussian curvature. Some
shells of revolution (circular cylinders, cones),
shells of translation, or ruled surfaces (circular or
noncircular cylinders and cones) are examples of
singly curved shells.

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 Types of shell structures
b) Doubly curved shells
 With Positive Gaussian curvature:

 Some shells of revolution (circular domes, ellipsoids and paraboloids of

revolution) and shells of translation and ruled surfaces (elliptic
paraboloids, paraboloids of revolution) can be assigned to this category
of surfaces.
 With negative Gaussian curvature:

 This category of surfaces consists of some shells of revolution

(hyperboloids of revolution of one sheet) and shells of translation or ruled
surfaces (paraboloids, conoids, hyperboloids of revolution of one sheet).

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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures

positive gaussian

Positive gaussian (zero gaussian Negative gaussian

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 Types of shell structures
Classification of shells based on geometrical
developability
a) Developable surfaces
 Developable surfaces are defined as surfaces that can
be developed into a plane form without cutting and/or
stretching their middle surface.
 All singly curved surfaces are examples of
developable surfaces.
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 Types of shell structures
b) Non-developable surfaces
A non-developable surface is a surface that has to
be cut and/or stretched in order to be developed into
a planar form.
Surfaces with double curvature are usually non-
developable.

Developable surface Non-developable surface

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 Types of shell structures

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 Types of shell structures
Barrel Vaults Vs Barrel shells

 The cylindrical thin shells also called barrels should not be

confused with the vaults even with the huge similarity in the
shape of both structures because each of these structures has
a different structural behavior as well as different
requirements in the minimum thickness and the shape.
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 Types of shell structures
The structural behavior of the barrel vault is based
on connected parallel arches which transmit the
same effort to the supports.

Therefore, the materials used in these structures

have to be able to resists compressions (e.g. stone)
and the thickness is usually higher.

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 Types of shell structures
Furthermore, the shape of the vaults must be as
similar as possible to the arch in order to achieve the
optimum structural behavior.
On the other hand, the structural behavior of the
barrels shell is that it carries load longitudinally as a
beam and transversally as an arch.
Therefore, the materials have to resist both
compression and tension stresses.
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 Types of shell structures
 This factor takes advantage of the bars of the reinforced
concrete because these elements can be placed where tension
forces are needed and therefore, the span to thickness ratios
can be increased.

 Furthermore, the shape has fewer requirements than the vaults

and therefore, new curves like the ellipse or the parabola can
be used improving the aesthetic quality of the structure.
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 Domes
A dome is a rounded vault made of either curved
segments or a shell of revolution, meaning an arch
rotated around its central vertical axis.
Dome has double curvature and the resulting
structure is much stiffer and stronger than a single
curved surface such as a barrel shell.

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 Domes

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 Dome
Advantages of Shell Structures
 Very light form of construction. To span shell thickness
required is .
 Dead load can be reduced economizing foundation and
supporting system.
 They further take advantage of the fact that arch shapes can
span longer.
 Aesthetically it looks good over other forms of construction

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 Dome
Disadvantages of Shell Structures

Greater accuracy in formwork is required

Skilled labor and supervision necessary
The rain water can get through roof and leak into
the building if it is cracked particularly in concrete
shell.

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