This document discusses the three basic types of superstructures: solid, skeleton, and surface structures. Solid structures combine load bearing with enclosure, transferring loads through walls. Examples include cellular/box frames and cross-walls. Skeleton structures concentrate loads through a load-bearing framework to foundations below. Examples include truss frames, portal frames, and suspension frames. Surface structures are thin materials shaped to gain strength through curvature, with examples being shell domes, barrel vaults, and folded plates.

1. RC SUPERSTRUCTURES
BQS 502 Construction Technology III
Mohd Arif Marhani
A377
0193105479
Centre of Studies for Quantity Surveying

2. CONTENT
3 Basic types
of
superstructures
Solid Skeleton Surface
Basic types of
superstructures
o Solid
o Skeleton
o Surface

3. 1. SOLID STRUCTURE
o Combines the load-carrying function with space enclosure
o The loads are transferred to and spread through the walls
to give a distributed load on the substructure
o There are a few types of solid structure:
1. cellular/box frame;
2. igloo;
3. cross wall; &
4. stressed skin

4. 1. SOLID STRUCTURE:
CELLULAR/BOX FRAME
o The loads are transferred to the walls of the cells, each wall
being rigidly jointed to its neighbor
o Arrangement – where both the internal & external walls
are load-bearing & arranged to form a cellular system
o Resulting structure is rigid & stable, suited applications
where large areas are not required or alteration in layout
are unlikely

5. 1. SOLID
STRUCTURE:
CELLULAR/
BOX FRAME

6. 1. SOLID STRUCTURE:
IGLOO
o Load-bearing wall
o A load-bearing
wall is one of the
earliest forms of
construction
o A load-bearing
wall is a structural
element of a
building that
holds the weight
of the elements
above it, by
conducting its
weight to a
foundation
structure below it

7. 1. SOLID STRUCTURE:
CROSS-WALL
o A series of independent walls built at right angles to the
front elevation of the building which carry the floor & roof
loads
o The walls are usually built at standardised centres/spacing
thus allowing other elements also to be standardised
o Being an independent & free-standing walls, stability is a
problem i.e., longitudinal stability
o How to increase stability?
 By adding spine walls
 By having elevation return walls
o Major problem if there is more joints between cross walls &
infill panels

8. 1. SOLID
STRUCTURE:
CROSS-
WALL

9. 1. SOLID STRUCTURE:
STRESSED SKIN
o Used in timber
building - timber
framework
covered with
plywood

10. 1. SOLID STRUCTURE:
STRESSED SKIN

11. 2. SKELETON STRUCTURE
o Comprise of a framework through, which the loads are
concentrated & transferred (still in concentrated form) to the
supporting structure or substructure
o The strength of the members of the framework & their
connections plays an important part in the transmission of
the applied loads
o Examples: Apex Frame, Rectangular Frame, Truss Frame,
Portal Frame, Shed Frame, Grid Frame, Geodesic Frame &
Suspension Frame

12. 2. SKELETON
STRUCTURE: APEX FRAME
o Framework of poles is jointed
at or near one end to provide
the framework of a conical
shape

13. 2. SKELETON STRUCTURE:
RECTANGULAR FRAME
o A series of
uprights & cross-
members set up
in mutually
perpendicular
planes
o Provides the
framework for
support to the
floors, walls &
roofs

14. 2. SKELETON
STRUCTURE:
TRUSS FRAME
o The truss is based on
triangle, since triangle is the
most rigid of all shapes e.g.,
pitched roof structures

15. 2. SKELETON
STRUCTURE: PORTAL
FRAME
o Similar to an arch, but
consisting of two uprights
rigidly jointed by a
horizontal, sloping or
curved third member
o Each frame requires
lateral support usually in
the form of bracing

16. 2.
SKELETON
STRUCTURE:
SHED
FRAME
o Similar to portal
frame, but the third
member is in the form
of a roof truss

17. 2. SKELETON STRUCTURE:
GRID FRAME
o Used for
lightweight roof
structure covering
large open floor
areas, the frame
comprises a series
of triangular
frames set out in
the form of a grid
o The grid may be in
the form of one,
two or three layers
or of a space grid,
which comprises a
six-member frame
joined to other
similar frames
forming a strong
rigid framework

18. 2. SKELETON STRUCTURE:
GEODESIC FRAME
o Formed in the shape of a dome
and comprising a network of
triangular frames in the form of
spherical triangles
o i.e., portions of a sphere formed
by the intersections of great
circles (great circles has a
diameter equal to that of the
sphere it is drawn on)
o The greater the number of
triangles used in the structure, the
less the chance of collapse

19. 2. SKELETON
STRUCTURE:
SUSPENSION FRAME
o Used in multi-storey
construction, it comprises
a central solid support
structure extending to
the full height of the
building, at the top of
which a rigid
horizontal support
structure is cantilevered
out over the plan area
of the building

20. 2. SKELETON STRUCTURE:
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
o The primary function of a skeleton frame is to carry all the
loads imposed on the building, without deforming
excessively under load as a whole or in parts
o To meet this function efficiently, it must have adequate
design & construction regarding:
 strength & stability - appropriate materials & stiffness
of joints; &
 fire resistance - for a period long enough for occupants
to escape

21. 2. SKELETON STRUCTURE:
ADVANTAGES
o Save in floor space
o Flexible in plan & building operations (because of the
absence of the load bearing walls at any level)
o Reduction of dead weight
o Load carried by the roof
o Has thin skin which is:
 Sufficiently rigid to be self-supporting when shaped &
the shape provides additional strength; &
 Sufficiently strong but flexible enough to support load
when stretched across a supporting framework

22. 3. SURFACE STRUCTURE
o A surface structure is made from a material having a very
small thickness compared to its other dimensions
o The structure is subjected to in-plane (tension or compression
forces mainly)
o Surface structures may be made of rigid material such as
reinforced concrete
o The structure may be shaped as folded plates, cylinder, etc.
o Examples: Shell dome, Barrel vault, Folded or bent plates,
Suspension roofs & tents, & Air-supported structure

23. 3. SURFACE
STRUCTURE: SHELL
DOME
o Thin-wall domes were called such
domes in which of an essential
importance in the load capacity
of the structure is the shell from
planks nailed onto the
meridionally laid assembly ribs
o The dome's geometry was
formed using assembly ribs,
creating at the same time a
technological scaffolding of the
plank shell

24. 3. SURFACE
STRUCTURE: BARREL
VAULT
o Both structures use their
curved shape to obtain
strength e.g., principle of
an egg, when pressed by
fingers it will not break

25. 3. SURFACE
STRUCTURE: FOLDED
OR BENT PLATES
o Thin sheet material when folded
or bent will gain in strength
o E.g., Steel body of a modern car
o Paper when folded – strength
increased
o Commonly used in both wall &
roof construction
o E.g., National mosque

26. 3. SURFACE
STRUCTURE:
SUSPENSION ROOFS
& TENTS
o The membrane stretched
over some other skeleton
framed
o Form a structural
component itself

27. 3. SURFACE STRUCTURE:
AIR-SUPPORTED
STRUCTURE
o An air-supported structure is any
building that derives its structural
integrity from the use of internal
pressurised air to inflate a pliable
material (i.e., structural fabric) envelope,
so that air is the main support of the
structure, & where access is via airlocks

28. TUTORIAL 3
o There are three basic types of superstructures. With
the aid of sketches, please choose one (1) type and
elaborate it.
Please submit your handwritten tutorial in pdf & name
your file with Tutorial 3_your class_your full name_student
ID no. i.e., Tutorial 3_AP2243A_Mohd Arif bin
Marhani_2022125886
Please submit by using this link � before 12:00 PM,
Friday 11th November 2022
https://forms.gle/obRNz7dKQEseRb9H7