marshall roffino 3501 fall 2008 web

8/14/2019 Marshall Roffino 3501 Fall 2008 Web

1/28

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS RESEARCH CATALOGUETENSILE STRUCTURES

STUDIO

ARCH 3501 - ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO 4

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY - FALL 2008


2/28

TENSILE STRUCTURES

Tensile structures were rst seen in the earliest fo

shelter, such as the tent. However it was Vladimir

pioneered the use of tensile structures in the late

20th centuries by doing many shell tower and pav

as the Elliptical Pavillion of the Panrussian Expos

These structures began an era of tensile creation

many well known architects and engineers such a

Saarinen, Santiago Calatrava, Frei Otto, and man


3/28

TENSILE STRUCTURES:

LINEAR

3 DIMENSIONAL

SURFACE-STRESSED

MATERIALS

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS


4/28

The Chords bridge in Jerusalem, Israel was done

Calatrava in 2008.

It is a cable stayed bridge composed of 66 steel c

It has one angle, cantilevered tower supported by

The goal of the bridge was to add a unique denin

the jerusalem skyline.

These tensile structures often have a great beaut

can also be much more costly than a more simpl

tional solution.

On this particular project many of the cities tax pa

skeptical on how much this project was costing th

Although these structures are more expensive tha

concrete or compression bridge, there structural l

stability offsets the price jump.

This bridge, although beautiful and streamlined, is

simplistic in comparison to the other t ypes of tens

tion. Linear structures typically have a central mas

chords bridge and many others,

LINEAR STRUCTURESSANTIAGO CALATRAVA


5/28

A typical 3D tensile structure can be not only in t

compression as well.

When this occurs, as it has in the sculpture to the

members are in compression while the outer me

tension, causing tensegrity.

Another example of a 3D tensile structure is the

used as a structural roof.

There are steel members in tension on a lower a

forming a volume in between.

This unique feature is what makes these types o

ings different from a linear structure.

Although these structures and buildings have a m

shell, it makes for a more interesting shape.

The inner ring of this structure is in tension while t

is in compression.

3D STRUCTURES


6/28

SURFACE-STRESSED STRUCTURES

The Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany done b

engineer Frei Otto for the 1972 Olympics is an ex

surface stressed structure that uses acrylic glass

steel cables that are in t ension.

This new form of structure has opend up many ne

possibilities in the 20th and 21st centuries with its

new shapes and forms that traditional hard surfac

can not provide.

It also gives a lightness quality t hat hard surfaced

can not provide, along with bringing in natural ligh

space below.

Another example of these membranes is the mille

This structure, although it does not have the hypethat the Olympic park has, it has still has a stretch

membrane that has been formed into a dome.

These complex shapes take much planning and p

order to get the perfect balance of tension so that

distributed in the correct way to hold everything u


7/28

OLYMPIAPARKMUNICH, GERMANY

The Olympic Stadium in Munich, Gemany is the la

like structure in the world. Its acrylic glass roof rol

park replicating the grace and beauty of the Swis

However there is some controversy over what Fre

used as inspiration. Frei Otto based many of his d

things in nature that fascinated him. In this case,

and repetition of many of the different tents are sa

that of a spiderwed, rather than the slopes of the


8/28

OLYMPIAPARK:

HISTORY

ARCHITECT

FACTS


9/28

Although it is Frei Otto who is known for Olympiap

Gunter Behnisch of Behnisch and Partner that ca

Otto for his opinion. Ottos design was approved i

the project was nished for the 1972 olympics. W

Behnischs interest in Frie Otto was Ottos and Ro

unique design of the German Pavillion in 1967. In

Olympic Stadium is strongly based off of this desi

much larger.

OLYMPIAPARK HISTORYEXPO 67


10/28

Frei Otto had a strong philosophy of architecture

being one together. As Otto put it, The desire to c

deliberate design stands in contradiciton to the se

shape which, while as yet undiscovered, is nevert

subject ot the laws of naure. Otto throughout his

various minimal surfaces such as cobwebs, soap

and other tensioned membranes. He used these c

found in nature to inspire him to create interesting

such as the Olympic Stadium.

OLYMPIAPARK ARCHITECTFREI OTTO


11/28

OLYMPIAPARK FACTS

85,000m2 translucent acrylic glass Cable stayed masts 76 meters in height69,000 seating capacity 436 km of cable strands at 11.7mm thick


12/28

The design of the structure was intended to catch

eye. The acrylic glass plates used for the roong

the tents is an opaque material that allows in light

protection from natural elements.

The steel cable netting underneath the acrylic gla

the roof and gives extra weight in order to properl

structure to make it air tight.

The 76 meter masts are constructed of steel drumin width towards the center and shrink in diamete

bottom connection and the top of the mast. Atop t

a steel pulley system which allows the supporting

and be properly tensioned.

There are concrete supports where the tensioned

into the ground.

MATERIALS


13/28

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

The construction progress for this project was ext

meticulous and orderly. After the masts were cons

cable netting system were layed and joined togeth

They were then hoisted up and tensioned. The ca

manufacturer tted the clamps on the cables in th

it was easily assembled on-site. The anchoring sy

placed in an underground diaphragm foundation w

be precast before the cables were tensioned to th

shape. After the cable netting was set in place, th

was pre-cut and then placed in a grid and tension

the cables. Otto designed a system of seals that m

stucture watertight and barely visible from beneat


14/28

The Olympic Stadium in Munich, Gemany, done b

engineer Frei Otto for the 1972 Olympics, is an ex

surface stressed structure. This structure uses ac

stablized by steel cables that are in tension. The i

symbolize the alps with its white transparent shie

form of structure has opened up many new possi

20th and 21st centuries with its exibility for news

forms that traditional hard-surfaced materials can

STUDY MODEL ONE


15/28

STUDY MODEL ONE:

MATERIALS

HOW IT WORKS

WHAT WE CAN DO NEXT TIME


16/28

For our rst study model, our main goal was to ca

general shape that the acrylic glass forms at the OStadium. In order to do this we need materials tha

exible and easily manipulatible in order to keep a

to see how these intricate forms are created. We

exible metal rods for the support of fhe roof and

also exible rod for the mast. To study the shapes

used a transparent mesh fabric that was anchored

supports and manipulate until the desired shape w

We used thin metal wire to twist for our connectio

STUDY MODEL ONEMATERIALS

Metal Wire Mesh FabricMetal Rod


17/28

During the construction of the Olympic stadium, thsteel supports, and cable netting were rst constr

tensioned to the appropriate forms in order to add

acrylic glass to produce the nished product. For

model we simplied the structural support to a few

and columns that could support our fabric. We the

lated the understructure with the fabric connected

study what shapes needed to be made in order to

hyperbaloid shape used for the stadium.

STUDY MODEL ONEHOW IT WORKED


18/28

After studying and manipulating these into differe

along with studying diagrams and documentation

um, we pieced together a better and more realisti

the structure was constructed and what materials

be used in order to better replicate this intricate d

following study model we dove into more noble m

to the actual materials used in order to get a bette

of proportion, weight distribution, and functionality

STUDY MODEL ONEWHAT CAN WE DO NEXT TIME?


19/28

The Olympic Stadium in Munich, Gemany, done b

gineer Frei Otto for the 1972 Olympics, is an exam

surface stressed structure. This structure uses ac

stablized by steel cables that are in tension. The i

symbolize the alps with its white transparent shie

form of structure has opened up many new possi

20th and 21st centuries with its exibility for news

forms that traditional hard-surfaced materials can

STUDY MODEL TWO


20/28

STUDY MODEL TWO:

MATERIALS

HOW IT WORKS


STUDY MODEL TWO


21/28

For our second study model, out goals was to con

a much larger scale than the rst in order to show

and nobility of the structural system of this buildinmasts we used a 1 diameter dowel that reached

giving this model a 1:100 scale (actual mast size

approximately 250 ft). for the steel framing of the

used 1/8 steel rods. We used brass picture hang

late the lose connections or cables running from t

to the ground. For our cables we used a thin meta

was approximately 1/32 in diameter. A wooden b

in order to drill the masts into the base for suppor

STUDY MODEL TWOMATERIALS

Wooden DowelSteel Cable Steel Rod

STUDY MODEL TWO


22/28

For the construction of our model, we wanted to r

closely as possible the construction process of th

structure. For the olympic stadium, the masts and

structural supports went up rst and were tensionmodel, we soldered the structural members toget

in plenty of support, then attached the cabling sys

structure, and hoisted it up on the masts and tens

it formed into the appropriate shape. The front str

was clamped onto the structural steel making it o

piece. To attach the cables to the base we screwe

eye-hooks into the wood to support the cables thu

the rods.

STUDY MODEL TWOHOW IT WORKED

STUDY MODEL TWO


23/28

For this study model we primarily focused on the

of the tent to see how the connections were made

strength must the steel be to carry different loads

model, we began to take into account the acrylic r

under cabling system. A more detailed approach w

further develope our knowledge of the structure a

of its system.

STUDY MODEL TWOWHAT CAN WE DO NEXT TIME?

FINAL MODEL


24/28

FINAL MODEL


25/28

FINAL MODEL:

MATERIALS

HOW IT WORKS


FINAL MODEL


26/28

FINAL MODELMATERIALS

For our nal model we wanted to explore some o

detailed aspects of this structural system. We kep

scale as the previsous model, but changed a few

materials. For our mast we used a hollow steel tu

remained at a 1 inch thick diameter in order to rep

true materials of the actual structure. In the previomodel the cables used were too strong in proport

weight of the structure. For this model we used a

gage cable wire in order to add more tension to th

For the front steel support we used a solid steel ro

tension support. For the roong material we used

synthetic acrylic plexy to simulate the actual acry

the under-cabling system, nails and a thinner 28 g

were used.

Steel RodNails Steel CableSteel MastSteel Front Support

FINAL MODEL


27/28

HOW IT WORKED

The beginning process for this nal model was sim

the previous study model. We connected the stee

only this time by welding to obtain a stronger bond

attached these to the steel front tension rod with sfasteneres to that of the previous study model. Be

this structure up, we formed t he scored and drilled

to the desired shape using heat. After hoisting the

and tensioned properly, the plexy was placed to

the model was re-tensioned until everything was c

simulate the plexy fastening to the understructure

nails puncturing through the glass connecting to t

ing system.

FINAL MODEL


28/28

WHAT CAN WE DO NEXT TIME?

Although our nal model was successful in portra

information we wanted to display, there is still mu

in joints, connections, and overall tensioners that

have liked to explore more in another model. Und

complexity of this system is an on-going process

be studied intensively from many different angles

fully understand how the system functions as a co

marshall roffino 3501 fall 2008 web

Documents