SPACE FRAMES
BY
B.N.V.ADITYA (12091AA007)

SPACE FRAMES

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.

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
DESIGN METHOD
SPACE FRAMES ARE TYPICALLY DESIGNED USING A RIGIDITY MATRIX. THE SPECIAL
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE STIFFNESS MATRIX IN AN ARCHITECTURAL SPACE FRAME IS
THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE ANGULAR FACTORS.
IF THE JOINTS ARE SUFFICIENTLY RIGID, THE ANGULAR DEFLECTIONS CAN BE
NEGLECTED, SIMPLIFYING THE CALCULATIONS.

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.

DESIGN METHODS
MEMBERS ARE FIXED USING CONNECTORS
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONNECTORS ARE:
NODUS CONNECTOR
TRIODETIC CONNECTOR
TUBALL NODE CONNECTOR
HEMISPHERICAL DOME CONNECTOR

LOAD DISTRIBUTION
THE SIMPLEST FORM OF SPACE FRAME IS A HORIZONTAL SLAB OF
INTERLOCKING SQUARE PYRAMIDS AND TETRAHEDRA BUILT FROM ALUMINIUM OR
TUBULAR STEEL STRUTS.
SPACE FRAMES CAN BE USED TO SPAN LARGE AREAS WITH FEW INTERIOR SUPPORTS.
LIKE THE TRUSS, A SPACE FRAME IS STRONG BECAUSE OF THE INHERENT RIGIDITY OF
THE TRIANGLE; FLEXING LOADS (BENDING MOMENTS) ARE TRANSMITTED
AS TENSION AND COMPRESSION LOADS ALONG THE LENGTH OF EACH STRUT.

STRUCTURAL BACKGROUND
A SPACE FRAMES ALONG-SPANNING THREE-DIMENSIONAL PLATE STRUCTURE BASED
ON THE RIGIDITY OF THE TRIANGLE AND COMPOSED OF LINEAR ELEMENTS SUBJECT
ONLY TO AXIAL TENSION OR COMPRESSION, EVEN IN THE CASE OF CONNECTION BY
COMPARATIVELY RIGID JOINTS, THE INFLUENCE OF BENDING OR TORSIONAL MOMENT
IS INSIGNIFICANT.

LIMITATIONS
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like,lightweight rigid structure
constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern.
Space frame truss can be used for a platform or overhead structure that
spans large distances without need for internal load bearing support.
Space frames are advantageous compared to other common structures
by their; light weight, mass production, stiffness, and versatility.
Space frames are classified into three types according to the number of
grid layers as follows; single, double, or triple layer.
Space frame connections can be made by; welding, bolting, or
threading.
Space frame construction utilize three main methods of erection; 1-
scaffold method, 2. block assembly Method, lift-up method.

TYPES OF SPACE FRAME
1. Curvature classification
Space plane covers
Barrel vaults
Spherical domes
2.Classification by the arrangement of its elements
Single layer grid
Double layer grid
Triple layer grid

TYPES OF SPACEFRAME
CURVATURE CLASSIFICATION
1. SPACE PLANE COVERS:
SPATIAL STRUCTURES COMPOSED OF PLANAR SUBSTRUCTURES.
DEFLECTIONS IN THE PLANE ARE CHANNELED THROUGH THE HORIZONTAL BARS
AND THE SHEAR FORCES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE DIAGONALS.

TYPES OF SPACEFRAME
CURVATURE CLASSIFICATION
2. BARREL VAULTS:
HAS A CROSS SECTION OF A SIMPLE ARCH.
USUALLY THIS TYPE OF SPACE FRAME DOES NOT NEED TO USE TETRAHEDRAL
MODULES OR PYRAMIDS AS A PART OF ITS BACKING.

TYPES OF SPACEFRAME
CURVATURE CLASSIFICATION
3. SPHERICAL DOMES:
REQUIRE THE USE OF TETRAHEDRAL MODULES OR PYRAMIDS AND ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT FROM A SKIN.

TYPES OF SPACEFRAME
CLASSIFICATION BY THE ARRANGMENT OF ITS ELEMENTS
1.SINGLE LAYER GRID:
ALL ELEMENTS ARE LOCATED ON THE SURFACE APPROXIMATELY.

TYPES OF SPACEFRAME
CLASSIFICATION BY THE ARRANGMENT OF ITS ELEMENTS
2.DOUBLE LAYER GRID :
COMMONLY USED SPACEFRAMES ARE DOUBLE LAYERED AND FLAT.
ELEMENTS ARE ORGANIZED IN TWO PARALLEL LAYERS WITH EACH OTHER AT A
CERTAIN DISTANCE APART.
EACH OF THE LAYERS FORM A LATTICE OF TRIANGLES, SQUARES OR HEXAGONS IN
WHICH THE PROJECTION OF THE NODES IN A LAYER MAY OVERLAP OR BE DISPLACED
RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER.

TYPES OF SPACEFRAME
CLASSIFICATION BY THE ARRANGMENT OF ITS ELEMENTS
3.TRIPLE LAYER GRID :
ELEMENTS ARE PLACED IN THREE PARALLEL LAYERS, LINKED BY THE DIAGONALS.
THEY ARE ALMOST ALWAYS FLAT.
PRACTICALLY USED FOR A LARGER SPAN BUILDING

TYPES OF TUBES
Circular hollow section Rectangular hollow section

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.

TYPES OF TUBES

TYPES OF TUBES
1. Triodetic connector:
Consists of a hub, usually an aluminium extrusion, with slots or key ways.

TYPES OF TUBES
2. 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.

TYPES OF TUBES

TYPES OF TUBES
3. Hemispherical dome connector:
Usually use for double layer domes.
Has a span more than 40m.
More economical for long span.
The jointing is connect by sliting the end of the tube or rod with the joint fin.
Two types of joint: pentagonal joint and hexagonal joint.

ADVANTAGES OF SPACE FRAMES
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.

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.

JOINTS
• IN A SPACE FRAME,
CONNECTING JOINTS PLAY
AN IMPORTANTROLE, BOTH
FUNCTIONAL AND
ESTHETIC, WHICH DERIVES
FROM THEIR RATIONALITY
DURING CONSTRUCTION
AND AFTER COMPLETION.
•SINCE JOINTS HAVE A
DECISIVE EFFECT ON
THESTRENGTH AND
STIFFNESS OF THE
STRUCTURE AND
COMPOSE AROUND 20 TO
30 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL
WEIGHT, JOINT DESIGN IS
CRITICAL TO SPACE FRAME
ECONOMY AND SAFETY .
MEMBER
• MEMBERS ARE AXIAL
ELEMENTS WITH
CIRCULAR OR
RECTANGULAR SECTIONS,
ALL MEMBERS CAN ONLY
RESIST TENSION OR
COMPRESSION.
•THE SPACE GRID IS BUILT
OF RELATIVELY LONG
TENSION MEMBERS AND
SHORTCOMPRESSION
MEMBERS. A TREND IS
VERY NOTICEABLE IN
WHICH THE STRUCTURAL
MEMBERS ARE LEFT
EXPOSED AS A PART OF
THE ARCHITECTURAL
EXPRESSION

•THE METHOD CHOSEN FOR ERECTION OF A SPACE FRAME DEPENDS ON:
• ITS BEHAVIOR OF LOAD TRANSMISSION
•CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS, SO THAT IT WILL MEET THE OVER ALL
REQUIREMENTS OF QUALITY, SAFETY,SPEED OF CONSTRUCTION,AND
ECONOMY
•THE SCALE OF THE STRUCTURE BEING BUILT,THE METHOD OF JOINTING
THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS, AND THE STRENGTH AND RIGIDITY OF THE
SPACE FRAME UNTIL ITS FORMISCLOSEDMUSTALLBECONSIDERED.

HALL OF NATION
PRAGATI MAIDAN

PRAGATI MAIDAN HALL NO-18