BUILDING CONSTRUCTION - III (FOR ARCHITECTURE SYLLABUS)

1. SPACE FRAME BUILDING CONSTRUCTION III
NOBLE ARCHITECTURE COLLEGE, JUNAGADH AR.VAISHALI DARANIYA

2. SPACE FRAME
* DEFINITION
* HISTORY
* MATERIALS
* DESIGN METHODS
* LIMITATIONS
* TYPES OF SPACE FRAME
* ADVANTAGES OF SPACE FRAMES
* DISADVANTAGES
LOAD DISTRIBUTION

3. SPACE FRAME DEFINITION
A SPACE FRAME OR SPACE STRUCTURE IS A TRUSS-LIKE, LIGHTWEIGHT RIGID
STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTED FROM INTERLOCKING STRUTS IN A GEOMETRIC
PATTERN. SPACE FRAMES CAN BE USED TO SPAN LARGE AREAS WITH FEW
INTERIOR SUPPORTS.

4. SPACE FRAME
▪A THREE DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE.
▪ASSEMBLED LINEAR ELEMENTS ARE ARRANGED TO TRANSFER THE LOAD.
▪TAKE A FORM OF A FLAT SURFACE OR CURVED SURFACE.
▪DESIGNED WITH NO INTERMEDIATE COLUMNS TO CREATE LARGE OPEN AREA.
❖ HISTORY OF SPACE FRAME
▪SPACE FRAMES WERE INDEPENDENTLY DEVELOPED BY ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
AROUND 1900 AND BUCKMINSTER FULLER IN THE 1950S. BUCKMINSTER FULLER'S
FOCUS WAS ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES; HIS WORK HAD GREATER INFLUENCE.
▪IT WAS DEVELOPED IN CALIFORNIA DURING THE 1960S AND INTRODUCED TO
THE SOUTH AFRICAN MARKET IN 1982, SPECIFICALLY DEVELOPED FOR UNSTABLE
SOIL CONDITIONS, THE PANELS FORM A MONOLITHIC STRUCTURE OFFERING
SUPERIOR WALL STRENGTH IN WHICH NO CRACKING WILL OCCUR.

5. MATERIALS
➢MANY MATERIALS ARE USED FOR THESE SPACE FRAMES
▪STEEL
▪TIMBER
▪STEEL:
•THIS STEEL MATERIAL WHICH IS USED FOR THE SPACE FRAMES SUSTAIN MORE
LOAD AND CARRY TONES OF WEIGHT. THIS STEEL IS MOSTLY USED IN NOW-A-
DAYS IN A LONG SPAN STRUCTURES AND HAS TO BE MAINTAINED PROPERY.
▪TIMBER:
•THIS TIMBER MATERIAL IS ALSO USED IN THE 19TH CENTURY AND BY USING THIS
MATERIAL THE MAINTANIANCE LEVEL IS BECOMING VERY HIGH.

6. TYPES OF SPACE FRAME
▪CURVATURE CLASSIFICATION
1. SPACE PLANE COVERS
2. BARREL VAULTS
3. SPHERICAL DOMES
▪CLASSIFICATION BY THE ARRANGEMENT OF ITS ELEMENTS
1. SINGLE LAYER GRID
2. DOUBLE LAYER GRID
3. TRIPLE LAYER GRID
•ALL ELEMENTS ARE LOCATED ON THE SURFACE APPROXIMATELY.
•COMMONLY USED SPACE FRAMES ARE DOUBLE LAYERED AND FLAT.
•TRIPLE LAYERED IS PRACTICALLY USED FOR A LARGE SPAN BUILDING.

7. DESIGN METHODS
▪MEMBERS ARE FIXED USING CONNECTORS. DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONNECTORS
ARE:
•NODUS CONNECTOR
•TRIODETIC CONNECTOR
•TUBALL NODE CONNECTOR
•HEMISPHERICAL DOME CONNECTOR
❖TUBES
Circular Hollow Sections Rectangular Hollow Sections

8. TYPES OF TUBES
▪1. NODUS CONNECTOR:
• IT CAN ACCEPT BOTH RECTANGULAR AND CIRCULAR HOLLOW SECTIONS AND THAT
THE CLADDING CAN BE FIXED DIRECTLY TO THE CHORDS.
•CHORD CONNECTORS HAVE TO BE WELDED TO THE ENDS OF THE HOLLOW
MEMBERS ON SITE.

9. TYPES OF TUBES
▪2.TRIODETIC CONNECTOR:
•CONSISTS OF A HUB, USUALLY AN ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION, WITH SLOTS
OR KEY WAYS.

10. TYPES OF TUBES
▪3.TUBALL NODE CONNECTOR
•HOLLOW SPHERE MADE OF SPHEROIDAL GRAPHITE.
•END OF THE CIRCULAR HOLLOW SECTION MEMBER TO BE CONNECTED IS FITTED AT
ITS ENDS BY WELDING CONNECTION FROM INSIDE THE CUP IS DONE USING BOLT
AND NUT..

11. TYPES OF TUBES
▪4.HEMISPHERICAL DOME CONNECTOR
•USUALLY USE FOR DOUBLE LAYER DOMES.
•HAS A SPAN MORE THAN 40M.
•MORE ECONOMICAL FOR LONG SPAN.
•TWO TYPES OF JOINT: PENTAGONAL JOINT AND HEXAGONAL JOINT.

12. ADVANTAGES
▪LIGHT.
▪ELEGANT & ECONOMICAL.
▪CARRY LOAD BY THREE DIMENSIONAL ACTION.
▪HIGH INHERENT STIFFNESS.
▪EASY TO CONSTRUCT.
▪SAVE CONSTRUCTION TIME & COST.
▪SERVICES (SUCH AS LIGHTING AND AIR CONDITIONING) CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH
SPACE FRAMES.
▪OFFER THE ARCHITECT UNRESTRICTED FREEDOM IN LOCATING SUPPORTS AND
PLANNING THE SUBDIVISION OF THE COVERED SPACE.
▪DURABLE MATERIALS & PROTECTIVE FINISHES.
▪CONSTRUCTION IS SIMPLE, SAFE AND FAST.
▪NO SITE PAINTING OR WELDING.

13. DISADVANTAGES
▪ONE MAJOR DISADVANTAGE IS THAT THEY CAN BE DIFFICULT TO ENGINEER.
▪IT'S NOT STRAIGHTFORWARD TO DETERMINE HOW FORCES WILL DISTRIBUTE
THROUGHOUT A STRUCTURE THAT HAS A LOT OF REDUNDANT PIECES.

14. THANK TOU
NOBLE ARCHITECTURE COLLEGE, JUNAGADH AR.VAISHALI DARANIYA