Unusual design drivers for membrane structures and details

Summary

Structural membranes have become a frequently preferred system type in long span structures such as amphitheatres, stadiums, performance centres, sport halls, with their ability to cover long distances by lighter solutions. The membrane material, which is the main component of the lightweight structures including membranes and has sufficient strength together with stretching, has very low weight of around 1 kg per sqm compared with the conventional load bearing materials. This is very important feature, both aesthetically and economically. Its light weight does not only provide an economical solution, but also allows to have better structural performance under seismic loads. Besides its lightness, another advantage of membrane-covered structures such as the amphitheatre is acoustic performance, which is an important one for the structure to meet serviceability requirements.

Abstract