Marrying Membranes to Steel Structures [A6] 2025
Steel structures and tensile membranes have long been partners, serving complementary functions. Traditionally, steel columns support tensile membranes, but with advancements in membrane structures, steel has also progressed to encompass steel cable nets with integrated membranes. This presentation will delve into the synergy of steel cable nets and frame systems with tensile membrane structures, examining various specialized shapes and the intricate detailing required for these adaptations, from hyperbolic paraboloids to conoids. It will also cover the wide range of materials available, from various coated fabrics to different cable materials and their systems, and how detailing varies according to the different materials and structural conditions.
To describe these approaches, three projects will be discussed as case studies: 1) the Sun Valley Pavilion, a steel frame structure in tension supporting a cable net with wood and membrane cladding; 2) the new Microsoft Rapid Transit Station Pedestrian Bridge, a covered pedestrian and bike bridge using a combination of frame and tensile elements to span 1,200 feet in length and fifty feet in width; and 3) the new Domino Square Cable Net to provide a shade cover for events in the new Domino Square, Brooklyn.
To describe these approaches, three projects will be discussed as case studies: 1) the Sun Valley Pavilion, a steel frame structure in tension supporting a cable net with wood and membrane cladding; 2) the new Microsoft Rapid Transit Station Pedestrian Bridge, a covered pedestrian and bike bridge using a combination of frame and tensile elements to span 1,200 feet in length and fifty feet in width; and 3) the new Domino Square Cable Net to provide a shade cover for events in the new Domino Square, Brooklyn.
Source: NASCC
Year: 2025
Speaker(s): Nic Goldsmith