This document discusses different types of structural systems for single storey long span buildings. It describes five categories of structural systems - form active, vector active, section active, surface active and provides examples for each. It also discusses common structural forms used for long span building structures such as insitu and precast concrete, structural steel, cable structures and shell structures. The document provides many examples of long span structures from around the world to illustrate different structural solutions.

1. Single Storey Long Span
Structure

2. Loads acting onto a structural systems
Loads acting onto a structural systems
1. Dead load
2. Live load
3. Wind load
4. Stress created by temperature differences
5. Stress created by other form of disruption
including ground movement, vibration,
deformation or earthquake

3. Materials suitable for construction
Materials suitable for construction
1. All reinforced concrete
2. All metal (e.g. mild-steel, stainless steel or
alloyed alumimium,
3. All timber
4. Laminated timber
5. Metal/RC combined
6. Plastic-coated Textile material
7. Fiber reinforced plastic

4. Single Storey Long Span Structure
Single Storey Long Span Structure
Classification of structural forms
z Form active systems
z Vector active systems
z Section active systems
z Surface active systems

5. Form active structural systems
Form active structural systems
. . . are systems of flexible, non-rigid matter, in
which the redirection of forces is effected by
particular form design and characteristic
form stabilization
Example of structures:
1. Cable structures
2. Tent structures
3. Pneumatic structures
4. Arch structures

6. Parallel cable Radial cable Biaxial cable

7. Illustrated examples of parallel cable structures

8. Examples of cable structures formed by arch

9. Examples of tent structures

10. Examples of pneumatic structures

11. Examples of pneumatic structures

12. Examples of arch structures

13. Vector active structural systems
Vector active structural systems
. . . are systems of short, solid, straight lineal
members, in which the redirection of forces
is effected by vector partition, i.e. by multi-
directional splitting of single force simply
to tension or compressive elements
Example of structures:
1. Flat trusses
2. Curved trusses
3. Space trusses

14. Flat truss systems
curved truss systems

15. Illustrated examples of flat truss structures

16. Illustrated examples of hinged truss structures

17. Section active structural systems
Section active structural systems
. . . are systems of rigid, solid, linear
elements, in which redirection of forces
is effected by mobilization of sectional
forces
Example of structures:
1. Beam structures
2. Frame structures
3. Slab structures

18. 1 & 2 bay beams 1 & 2 bay frames
Beam-grid systems Slab structures

19. Hinged
frame
structures

20. Illustrated examples of multi-panel frame structures

21. Surface active structural systems
Surface active structural systems
. . . are systems of flexible or rigid planes
able to resist tension, compression or
shear, in which the redirection of forces
is effected by mobilization of sectional
forces
Example of structures:
1. Plate structures
2. Folded structures
3. Shell structures

22. Shell structures
Folded plate
Multi-bay
structures

23. Various forms of folded structures

24. Examples of
shell structures

25. Other Example of Long Span
Other Example of Long Span
Structure applied in Buildings
Structure applied in Buildings
Structure with span larger than 20m
can be regarded as long span structure
for this span is usually unable to be
achieved by ordinary RC structure.

26. Common Structural Forms
Common Structural Forms
for Long Span Building Structures
for Long Span Building Structures
1. Insitu RC, tensioned
2. Precast concrete, tensioned
3. Structural steel – erected on spot
4. Structural steel – prefabricated and
installed on spot
5. Portal frame – insitu RC
6. Portal frame – precast
7. Portal frame – prefabricated steel

27. Common Structural Forms (Cont.)
Common Structural Forms (Cont.)
8. Cable suspended structures
9. Inflated structure
10. Vaulted or ribbed structure
11. Dome structure
12. Shell structure

28. Development History of
Long Span Structure

29. The development of long span structures

30. Dome roof of St Paul (left)
and St Peter Cathedral

31. Dome roof and
front/rear view of
Pantheon, Rome

32. How arch was constructed to provide a long
span roof for traditional western buildings

33. Long span roof structure as seen from the interior
Vaulted ceiling

34. Exterior and Interior
view of traditional
western structure with
arched roof or dome

35. Dome roof

36. Dome roof

37. Exterior view of the Crystal Palace,
built in 1851 for the first World Fair

38. The Gallery of Machine, constructed
in 1889 for the Paris Exhibition

39. Actual Example

40. Overseas Examples
Various Railway Stations in European Cities

41. Paris Central Station

43. Other Overseas Examples

44. The Munich Olympic Stadium
for the 1972 Olympic

45. The Millennium Egg, London

46. Other Overseas Examples
The Melbourne Central

49. An openable roof operating
on a Rail system

50. Other Overseas Examples
Sky Dome, Toronto

51. Toronto Tower
The Skydome

52. Openable roof

54. The Skydome

55. Features of the roof system
• SkyDome's roof system features a series of 3
moveable panels and 1 stationary panel.
• the roof operates on a system of steel tracks and is
powered by a series of DC motors
• roof area is 31,525 sq metres
• weight is 11,000 tons
• span at widest point 209 metres
• height is 85m (from field level to highest point)
• roofing material is PVC on insulated acoustic steel
deck
• 100% of the field & 91% of seating area exposed
with the roof open
• pen/close time - 20 minutes (21m per minute)

56. Other Overseas Examples
Charles-de-Gaulle International
Airport, France

57. Charles-de-Gaulle
International Airport, France,
completed in 1998

58. Interior view of the
airport concourse

60. Curving trusses extending from the
roof to take up the external glass wall

61. The Louisiana Superdome, USA – a 580m clear span sport
complex opened in 1975

62. Another example of Tent Structure – German Pavilion, Expo ’67,
Montreal, Canada

63. Other Overseas Examples
Commercial Centre in Paris

65. Other Overseas Examples
Tenerife Exhibition Central Stadium

66. Tenerife Exhibition Centre in Spain, a shallow
arch structure of 270m span completed in 1995.

67. 85m-span ribbed arch that formed the podium
deck of the exhibition space which is
constructed by in-situ, post-tensioned concrete

68. TGC Station at the Airport of Lyon,
France, completed in 1994. (span 120m)

69. Station interior under the 120m span roof

71. The
Hamburg
Airport, UK

73. Airport Terminal at Stuttgart, Germany

74. Roof plan/detail of
the Stuttgart
Terminal Building

75. Southern Cross
Station at Melbourne,
Australia

76. Typical column support and
truss system of the station

77. Typical roof truss detail
showing the complicated
configuration of the roof

78. Roof decking detail and
other interior features

79. Example in China –
The Science Centre at
Guangzhou New University City

80. External view of the Centre

81. Roof truss of the Grand Atrium

82. External view of the Centre (completed)

83. Underside
showing the
main span of
individual
exhibition hall

84. Example in China –
The Guangzhou Olympus Stadium

85. External view of Stadium

86. Detail showing the
form and shape of the
cantilevered roof

87. Hoisting the cantilever truss

88. Placing the roof
truss in position

89. Tie systems to stabilize the cantilevered roof
Tie systems

90. Enlarged details
of the Tie systems

91. Decking system of the roof

92. Laying of the
roof deck

93. Piers supporting the
cantilever roof truss
Semi-cladded roof
underside

94. The Guangzhou Gymnasium

95. The Shanghai Stadium

96. Close up view of the
bridge trusses

97. Simple Example in Hong Kong

98. Span about 35m
Member Centre of the
Hong Kong Jockey Club

99. The Hong Kong coliseum

100. The Hong Kong coliseum

101. The Hong Kong Stadium

102. Cultural Center and
Space Museum

104. Actual Example –
Hanger structure for
HK Aircraft
Engineering
Company Ltd.
(HAECO) at Chek
Lap Kok Airport

105. Actual Example –
Headquarter Building, Hong
Kong $ Shanghai Bank

106. Actual Example –
The Skylight structure
of Festival Walk

107. The Interior Space
under the Sking Ring
of Festival Walk

108. Linking structure between
the International Finance
Center Phase I and II

110. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

111. The deck and roof
structure of the HK
Convention and
Exhibition Centre

112. Hoisting of the
80m-span roof
truss

113. Placing of the roof truss
at the top of the core wall

115. Linking structure
between Phase I and II
of the HK Convention
and Exhibition Centre

116. Peak Tower

118. The New Hong Kong
International Airport at
Chek Lap Kok

119. The New Hong Kong
International Airport
at Chek Lap Kok

120. The Sky Dome, Cyber Port

121. The Sky Dome, Cyber Port

122. View of the mall interior under the Sky
Dome in the Cyber Centre, Cyber Port

123. Reference:
1. Structure systems, by Heino Engel, Verlag Herd
Hatje, 1997
2. Arups on Engineering, by David Dunster, Ernst &
Sohn, 1997
3. The Builders – Marvels of Engineering, National
Geographical Society, 1992
4. The works of Santiago Calatrava, Taschen, 1998
5. GA Document, Issue 56, October 1998
6. Homepage of Raymond Wong
(http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~bswmwong/)