ARCH Structures

including sap2000
Prof. Wolfgang Schueller

For SAP2000 problem solutions refer to Wolfgang Schueller: Building

Support Structures examples model files:
https://wiki.csiamerica.com/display/sap2000/Wolfgang+Schueller%3A+Building+S
upport+Structures+If you do not have the SAP2000 program get it from CSI. Students should
request technical support from their professors, who can contact CSI if necessary,
to obtain the latest limited capacity (100 nodes) student version demo for
SAP2000; CSI does not provide technical support directly to students. The reader
may also be interested in the Eval uation version of SAP2000; there is no capacity
limitation, but one cannot print or export/import from it and it cannot be read in the
commercial version. (http://www.csiamerica.com/support/downloads)
See also,
(1) The Design of Building Structures (Vol.1, Vol. 2), rev. ed., PDF eBook by
Wolfgang Schueller, 2016, published originally by Prentice Hall, 1996,
(2) Building Support Structures, Analysis and Design with SAP2000 Software, 2nd
ed., eBook by Wolfgang Schueller, 2015.
The SAP2000V15 Examples and Problems SDB files are available on the
Computers & Structures, Inc. (CSI) website:
http://www.csiamerica.com/go/schueller

THE USE OF ARCHES

Memorial arch

Arch bridge

Roof support structures

Arched roof structures including domes

Arched cables

Wall penetration

Arched buildings

etc.

Arch geometries

The arch is part of the frame family, but distinguishes itself by

providing a continuous one-member enclosure without having any
abrupt kink points along the geometry. The internal forces flow
smoothly along the arch and are not concentrated at points of
sudden change of form, assuming that the external loads are
distributed evenly; concentrated loads ideally should be located at
kink points.

The use of arches in architecture has a long history. In Europe, the

semicircular arches of the Romans were adopted again as an
essential part of architecture during the Romanesque period.
Transformation from the round arch to the slender pointed arch
happened in the Gothic period about nine hundred years ago. In
contrast to high-pointed arches are the flat, segmental arches used
for bridges during the Renaissance period in Italy. Today, arches
have an important place in architecture in defining building spaces
and as bridges in public spaces. The infinite possible applications of
the arch principle can only be suggested by

Arches as enclosures

Arches

Examples of arch structres

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
In the past, the arch together with the barrel
arch and the arch-like vault were among the
few structural systems that made it possible to
span larger distances by using masonry with its
low tensile capacity. Probably the first arches
built were based on the corbelling principle,
where horizontal masonry courses projected
slightly beyond the previous course. These
corbeled arches are false arches that do not
develop lateral
thrust, which is the basic
characteristic of true arches.

Treasury of Atreus, c. 1325

BC, Mycenae

Ishtar Gate (reconstructed), Babylon, c. 575 BC

Palace of Ctesiphon,
now Taq-i-Kisra, near
Bagdad, Iraq, c. 400 AD

The Roman Aqueduct, Segovia, Spain,

50 AD

Coliseum, Rom, Italy, 80 AD

Interior, Coliseum, Rom, Italy, 80 AD

Arch of Constantine, Forum, Rome, AD315

Constantine Basilica,
Trier, Germany, 310 AD

Palatine Chapel, Aachen Cathedral,

Aachen, Germany, c.800 AD,
Odo of Metz Arch

Basilica of the Holy Apostles, Cologne,

Germany, 11th 13th century

Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, 1150 - 1220

Notre Dame de Paris,

1150 -1220

Notre Dame de Paris. Schematic sections showing the flying buttresses

Notre Dame de Paris:

North Rose Window.
Suspended in perfect
equilibrium on a web of
stone, the immense north
rose window remains
intact after 700 years, its
intricately interlocking
blocks so exact they ring
when struck. Though
individual blocks may be
removed for repairs
without collapsing the
whole, only minor
buckling has occurred

17 m

13 m

Thrusts in flying buttresses

(left) and structure of a groin
vault (above)

Construction of a
Gothic cathedral

Amiens Cathedral,
Amiens, France, 1269

Amiens Cathedral,
France, 1269

Amiens Cathedral, Amiens, France, 1269

St. Pierrre, Beauvais, 1247

Bourges Cathedral,
France, 1214. Most
efficient flying
buttress system ever
constructed.

Sections through various French Gothic Cathedrals, showing progressive

development

Cathedral of Palma, Majorca - photoelastic Study by Robert Mark

St. Lorenz,
Nuremberg, 1500

St. Mary, Pirna, Germany, beginning 16th cent.

Ponte Vecchio Bridge, Florence, 1367

Ponte Santas Trinita, Florence, 1569

Rialto Bridge, Venice, 1591

Anji Bridge located in Zhaoxian County of Hebei Province was built in the Sui
Dynasty (581-618). Anji Bridge is a single span stone arch bridge in China, and it is also
the oldest extant bridge of China. It is also known as the Zhaozhou Bridge with a history
of about 1,400 years, it is reputed as The First Bridge Under Sky.

Arched Bridge, the Summer Palace in Beijing, China, 1750

Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic, c. 1400

It may have been Robert Hook (1670), who was the first to relize from a
scientific point of view that the catenary is the funicular response of the
arch weight.
Christopher Wren introduced the concept of the catenary dome shape
with the conical brick dome supporting the cupola of St. Pauls Cathedral,
London (1970).
But Giovanni Poleni was the first to actually use a model of string and
lead weights to obtain the thrust line of St. Peter in Rome (1743) and thus
was able to make his recommendations for the number of tension rings
required to prevcent bfurther cracking of the cupola.

Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, ,

Italy, 1436, Filippo Brunelleschi Arch

Santa Maria del Fiore,

Florence, Italy.
Begun in 1296. Dome
added by Brunelleschi
in 1436.
42 m span, 91 m high.

Built without
centering
Shape is arch a quinto
acuto

Dome of St Peters Basilica, Rome, Michaelangelo, 1546

Hanging chain analysis of Dome of St Peters, by Giovani Poleni, 1742

St Pauls Cathedral, London, 1710, Christopher Wren Arch

Hookes hanging chain concept applied to the dome of Christopher Wrens

St Pauls Cathedral. The lantern on top of the dome distorts the chain

St Pauls Cathedral Dome

(3 domes inside each other)

Interior of Carmel Mission. Built in

1793 it is an interesting design in that
the walls curve inward towards the
top, and the roof consists of a series
of inverted catenary arches built of
native sandstone quarried from the
nearby Santa Lucia Mountains.
(Carmel, CA)
Mission San Carlos Borromeo, Carmel,
CA, 1793, Manuel Estevan Ruiz Arch

Centenary Hall, Breslau, Ger. (now

Wroclaw, Pol.), Max Berg, 1913,
Dyckerhoff & Widmann

The nearly 100-ft span cast iron bridge

at Coalbrookdale over the Severn, UK,
1772, is often considered as a turning
point from stone and brick as the
dominant material for arches, to iron.
The new material of iron and later steel
made long spans and new building types
possible.

St. Pancras Station,

London, 1868, William
Henry Barlow Designer

Galerie des Machines

(375 ft, 114 m), Paris,
1889, Ferdinand Dutert
Arch, Victor Contamin
Struct. Eng

Frames: 375-ft (114 m) span steel

arches for the Galerie des Machines
(1889), Ferdinand Dutert Arch,
Victor Contamin Struct. Eng

Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris, 1867

Atrium, Glasgow School of Art,

Glasgow, UK, 1909, Charles Rennie
Mackintosh Arch

The Stock
Exchange
Amsterdam,
1903, Hendrik
Petrus Berlage
Arch

Viaduc de Garabit,
Saint-Flour, Cantal, 1884,
Gustave Eiffel

Firth of Forth Bridge (1708 ft), Scotland, 1890, Benjamin Baker, John Fowler

DOUBLE CANTILEVER
STRUCTURES

Eiffel Tower (300 m),

Paris, 1889, Gustave Eiffel

Glass-vaulted Gallerias in Brussels,

Milane, etc. end of 19th century

Sagrada Familia Cathedral,

Barcelona, 1882 - , Antoni Gaudi

Casa Mila,
Barcelona, Spain,
1910, Antoni Gaudi
Arch

Antoni Gaudi (1852 1926) revived

the idea of funicular curves of the
loads in his search for the true nature
of form. He derived arch shapes from
suspended scale models so as to
achieve purity of form and maximum
efficiency of materials.
Gaudi also used parabolic arches as an
approximation for catenary curves

Casa Batll, Barcelona, Spain, 1906,

Antoni Gaudi Arch

Colegio Teresiano,
Barcelona, Spain, 1889,
Antoni Gaud Arch

St Thrse, Metz,
France, 1954, RogerHenri Expert Arch

St Martin Donges, Colmar,

Haut-Rhin, France, 1957,
Jean Dorian Arch

Grundtvigs Church, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1930, Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint Arch

Church of the
Holy Cross,
Gelsenkirchenckendorf,
Germany, 1929,
Josef Franke
Arch

Hohenzollernplatz Church, Berlin, Germany, 1933, Fritz Hoeger Arch

St. Pauls
Episcopal Church,
Seattle, WA, 1962,
Robert Theirault
Arch, Jim Harriott
Struct Eng

New Dresden
Main Train
Station,
Dresden, 2006,
Norman Foster
Arch, Happold
Struct. Eng.

Dresden Central Railway

Sttation, 2006, Norman
Foster Arch, Happold Eng.

St.-Josefskirche, Zabrze (Hindenburg OS),

Polen, 1931, Dominikus Bhm Arch

Palazzo della Civilt Italiana, Rom,

Italy, 1953, G. Guerrini, E.B. La
Padula, M. Romano Arch

Institute of Public
Administration, Ahmedabad,
India, 1963, Louis Kahn Arch

Parlaments
Buildingde, Sher-eBanglanagar,
Dhaka,
Bangladesch,1974,
Louis I. Kahn Arch

Zitadelle, Sher-eBanglanagar,
Dhaka,
Bangladesch,
1974, Louis I.
Kahn Arch

Ayub Hospital
in Dhaka,
Bangladesch,
Louis I. Kahn
Arch

Gravity Load
distribution

Museum of Roman Art, Mrida, Spain

1985, Jose Rafael Moneo Arch

Thonet's first bentwood rocking chair, upholstered, 1860, Thonet Brothers, Austria

The Chaise longue, c. 1928, Le Corbusier

Paimio chair, 1932, Alvar Aalto; bent laminated birch frame, solid birch, with
painted bent plywood seat

Parabolic Slides,
Math and
Computer Science
College, TU Munich

Flamingo sculpture, Chicago Federal Center

Stabile, 1974, Alexander Calder Artist (Chicago
Federal Center by Mies van der Rohe)

The Geometry of the Arch

Arches may be composed of different types of curves. The
most common ones are derived from
conic sections. They are the circle, ellipse, parabola, and
hyperbola but also the
cycloid should be mentioned.
Curves can be used as single-, double-, or multiple-curvature
systems, in other words they can consist of various curvilinear
segments. With respect to circular curves, arches can be onecentered (e.g. semi-circular, segmental), two-centered, and
multi-centered. There are innumerable ways basic curves may
be combined to yield various arch profiles. The most common
arches are based on circular and parabolic geometry.

FROM THE HARMONY OF NATURE

TO THAT OF ARCHITECTURE

CONTEMPORARY ARCHES
ARCH USE:

BRIDGES, BUILDING ENCLOSURES, ROOF

STRUCTURES, SUPPORT STRUCTURS, WALL ARCHES, COMPRESSION
RINGS, SUSPENDED ARCHES, TREES, MONUMENTS, etc.

ARCHES

ARCH
BRIDGES

Traditional bridge, Chhina

Salignatobel Bridge,
Schiers, Grisons, Switzerland,
1930, Robert Maillart
Designer

Arve Bridge,
Vesay, Switzerland,
1935, Robert
Maillart

Route 112 Bridge, Huntington, MA,

using SAP

Blennerhassett Island Bridge, Route 50, Belpre

Township, WV, 2008, E.L Robinson, consult eng

Oberbaumbruecke, Berlin, 1995,

Santiago Calatrava Designer

Borneo-Sporenburg
Python Bridge ,
Amsterdam, 2001,
Adriaan Geuze Arch

Pedestrian bridge at Seattle's Museum

of Flight, 2007, SRG Partnership

Ponte della Constituzione , Venice, 2007

Santiago Calatrava

Japan Bridge, Paris, France, 1993,

Kisho Kurokawa Arch, Hugh Dutton
/SOM Struct. Eng

Based on an original drawing by Leonardo

da Vinci, Oslo, 2001, Vebjrn Sand

Bent wood bridge,

Esslingen,
Germany, 1986, R.
Dietrich

Pedestrian
bridge in
Cologne,
Germany

Crown
Prince
Bridge,
Berlin,
1996,
Santiago
Calatrava
Arch

La Devesa Footbridge, Ripoll, Spain, 1991, S. Calatrava, torsionbeam

Bac de Roda Felipe II

Bridge, La Sagrera,
Catalonia, Spain, 1987,
Santiago Calatrava
Designer

Barqueta Bridge,
Seville, Spain, 1992,
Santiago Calatrava
Designer

La Devesa Footbridge, Ripoll,

Spain, 1991, S. Calatrava,
torsion beam

James Joyce Bridge on Liffey

River, Dublin, 2003, Santiago
Calatrava Designer

Nordsternpark Bridge, BUGA, Gelsenkirchen, Germany,

1996, Feldmeier + Wrede Arch, Stefan Polnyi Struct. Eng

Infinity Loop Bridge, Zuhai,

China, Infinity Loop Bridge,
Gordon Affleck & Adrian
Boot Arch, Buero Happold
Struct. Eng

Proposal train station,

Florence, Italy, 2007, Arata
Isozaki, Mutsuro Sasaki

ARCHES as
PART OF THE
BUILDING
STRUCTURE

Garden scene, Suchou

Documentation Center
Nazi Party Rally
Grounds, Nuremberg,
2001, Guenther Domenig

Stadelhofen Railway Station,

Zurich, 1984, Santiago Calatrava

Jubilee Church, Rome, Italy, 2003, Richard Meier Arch

Ludwig-Erhard-Haus, Berlin, Germany, 1999,

Nick Grimshaw Struct Eng

Exchange House,
London, UK, 1990,
SOM - Srinivasa
Hal Iyengar
Struct. Eng

New Entrance Hall, Van

Gogh Museum,
Amsterdam, 2015, Kisho
Kurokawa + Hans van
Heeswijk Arch, Arcadis
Struct. Eng

Office building of
the European
Investment Bank,
2009, Luxembourg,
Ingenhoven
Architects, Werner
Sobek Struct Eng

Bordeaux Law Courts, 1998, Richard Rogers Arch, Arup Struct E

Arch Building, Band University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, 1989, Arata Isozaki Arch

La Grande Arche, Paris, 1989, Johan Otto von Sprechelsen/ Peter Rice for the canopy

Central Chinese Television

(CCTV) Tower, Beijing, 2008,
Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren/OMA
Arch, Ove Arup Struct Eng

Gateway arch (630 ft), St. Louis, 1963, Eero Saarinen

This free-standing arch is 630 ft. high and the world's tallest. Built of triangular section
of double-walled stainless steel, the space between the skins being filled with concrete
after each section was placed. Looks like perfect inverted catenary shape

ARCHES as
ROOF/BUILDING
Support
STRUCTURES

Tramway stop Marktplatz-Bohl,

St. Gallen, 1999, Santiago
Calatrava Arch

Metro Blaak station, Rotterdam, 1993, Harry Reijnders + Marja Haring Arch
, Lszl Vkr Struct. Eng

Ice hokey stadium, Munich, 1983, Kurt

Ackermann Arch, Sclaich Bergermann Struct. Eng

Lanxess Arena, Cologne, 1998, Peter Bhm Arch

Olympic
Stadium
OAKA,
Athens,
Greece, 2004,
Santiago
Calatrava

Olympic Stadium OAKA, Athens,

Greece, 2004, Santiago Calatrava

The Olympic
Velodrome, Athens,
Greece, 2004,
Santiago Calatrava

Jumbo Maintenance
Hangar, Deutsche
Lufthansa, Hamburg
Airport, von Gerkan,
Marg & Partner Arch

ARCHES AS
ROOF
STRUCTURES

Arched structure, computer model

Dorton (Raleigh) Arena, 1952,

North Carolina, Matthew
Nowicki Arch, Frederick
Severud Struct. Eng

Nrnberg Passage

Hamburg Airport, Terminal 2, 1993, Gerkan Marg Arch, Schlaich Bergemann Struct Eng

SOSC Shanghai Oriental Sport

Center (Natatorium), 2011,
Gerkan Marg Arch, Schlaich
Bergemann Struct Eng

10'
10'

10'

10'

10'

Fig. 8.15 Multiple-Bay, Single-Story Frames and M-Diagrams for Uniform Gravity Loads
(SAP2000)

USAFA Cadet
Chapel, Colorado
Springs, 1962,
Walter Netsch/SOM
Arch

Berliner Bogen, Hamburg, Germany, 2002, Bothe

Richter Teherani Arch, Binnewies Struct. Eng

Messehaus 9 and
Galleria ,
Frankfurt,
Germany, 1983,
Oswald Mathias
Ungers Arch,
Stefan Polonyi
Struct. Eng.

Messehaus 9 and
Galleria , Frankfurt,
Germany, 1983,
Oswald Mathias Ungers
Arch, Stefan Polonyi
Struct. Eng.

Agora , Athens, Greece, 2004,

Santiago Calatrava Arch

Lisbon Oriente Bus Station , Lisbon, 1998,

Santiago Calatrava Arch

Santa Maria Assunta, Riola

Vergato, Italy, 1978, Alvar Aalto
Arch

Media and Study Centre, D.

Hosiassohn (Sketch program)

Motorcar Verona Showroom, Ponte

Forio, Italy, Andrea Casellato Arch

National Stadium
of Sports Affairs
Council, Kaohsiung,
Taiwan, 2009,
Toyo Ito Arch

Gare dOrleans, Paris, 2007, Jean-Marie

Duthill , Etienne Tricaud AREP

Burj-Al-Arab Hotel,
Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, 1998,
Tom Wright Arch
(W.S. Atkins),
W.S.Atkins Struct
Eng

St. Dominique, 2001, Gifu Design,Takenaka

Focus Media Center

(Deutsche-Med-Platz)
Rostock, 2004, Helmut
Jahn Arch, Werner
Sobek Struct. Eng

Student Housing IIT, Chicago,

2003, Helmut Jahn Arch

Museum of Contemporary
Art, Helsinki, Finland, 1998,
Steven Holl Arch, Arup +
Nordenson Struct. Eng

Santa Caterina Market, Mollet

del Valles, Barcelona, 2001,
Enric Miralles and Benedetta
Tagliabue Arch

Ningbo Air Terminal

Beijing Capital International

Airport - Terminal 2, 1999

Inchon Airport, Seoul , 2002, Terry Farrel Arch

Beijing International Airport Terminal 3,

2008, Norman Foster Arch, Arup Struct Eng

New York World Trade Center

Transportation Hub, 2016, Santiago
Calatrava Arch, Thornton Tomasetti Struct Eng

EXPO-Dach Hannover, 2000, Thomas

Herzog Arch, Julius Natterer Struct Eng

Autobahnraststtte, Deitingen,
Switzerland,1968, Heinz Isler Arch. & Eng.

Bodegas Protos, Peafiel, Valladolid, Spain, 2008, Richard Rogers Arch, Arup Struct E.

Ferrari Restaurant, Maranello, Italy. 2008, Marco Visconti Arch

Olympic Stadium Montreal, Canada, 1976, Roger Taillibert Arch

Biodome (Olympic Velodrome), Montreal,

Canada, 1976, Roger Taillibert Arch

Parc des Princes, Paris, France,

1972, Roger Taillibert Arch

Harajuku Protestant Church, Kita-Aoyama, Tokyo, 2005, Ciel Rouge Creation,

Kaneko Fumiko & Henri Gueydan

Sustainable towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2013, Studio Nicoletti

Subway Station Munich-Frttmaning, Munich, 2005, Peter Bohn Arch

Airport Terminal Newark

Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin, 2006, von Gerkan, Marg Arch,

Schlaich Bergermann Struct Eng

Peek & Cloppenburg, Cologne, Germany, 2005, Renzo Piano

National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center, Quantico,

Virginia USA, 2006, Fentress Bradburn Architects, Weidlinger Struct Eng

San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy,

2004, Renzo Piano Arch, Peter
Rice/Ove Arup concept designer

Center Paul Klee, Bern, Switzerland, 2005, Renzo Piano Arch , Arup Struct Eng

Waterloo Station, London, UK, 1993,

Nicholas Thomas Grimshaw Arch,
Anthony Hunt Struct Eng

Mmax

Mmin

7.70 k

5.86'

Pressure lines in elevation

4.29'

Plan view

10'

27.32'

(2) Fig. 9.10 EXAMPLE

9.2: Axial Forces
(COMB1), Moments
(COMB1)

Heathrow Terminal 5,
London, UK, 2008,
Richard Rogers Arch, Ove
Arup Struct Eng

Kansai International Airport Terminal,

Osaka, 1994, Renzo Piano Arch,
Ove Arup Struct Eng

Lyon-Satolas Airport
Railway Station,
Lyon, France, 1994,
Santiago Calatrava
Arch + Struct Eng

Barajas Airport,
Madrid, Spain,
2005, Richard
Rogers Arch,
Anthony Hunt
Associates (main
structure), Arup
(main faade)

Floating Pavilion, Groningen,

Netherland, 1997, Fumihico Maki

Milwaukee Art Museum, 2001, Santiago Calatrava Arch, Graef Anhalt Schloemer Struct Eng

Lisbone Orient Station, Lisbone, Portugal, 1998, Santiago Calatrava Designer

Lige Guillemins TGV Station, Lige, Belgium, 2008, Santiago Calatrava

Zhongguancun Financia Center, Beijing, 2006, Kohn Pederson Fox Arch

Iglesia de la Medalla
Milagrosa, Navarte, Mexico
City, 1955, Felix Candela

BCE Place Galleria, Toronto, 1992,

Santiago Calatrava Designer

City of Arts and Sciences,

Valencia, Spain, 1996,
Santiago Calatrava Arch

Les Halles, Paris,

1979, Claude
Vasconi and
Georges
Pencreac'h

Vaillant Arena , Davos,

Switzerland, 1979,
Krhenbhl Arch, W.
Bieler Struct Eng

United Airlines
Terminal at
OHare Airport,
Chicago, 1987,
H. Jahn Arch,
Lev Zetlin
Struct E

Minute Maid Field, Houston, 2000, HOK

Sport Arch, Walter P. Moore Struct E

Miller Park , Milwaukee,

WI, 2001, Dan Meis
Arch/NBBJ + HKS,
Arup/Flad Struct Eng

Atrium, Germanisches
Museum, Nuremberg,
Germany, 1993, me di um Arch

Jaeger-Passage, Leipzig, Germany

The Kimmel Center for

Performing Arts, Philadelphia,
2003, Rafael Vinoly Arch, Ove Arup
+ Dewhurst Macfarlane Struct Eng

Neue Messe Leipzig,

1996, Gerkan, Marg +
Ian Ritchie Arch, Stefan
Polnyi Struct Eng

National Grand Theater, Beijing, 2007, Paul Andreu

Bangkok International
Airport, 2006, Murphy/Jahn
Arch, Werner Sobek Struct Eng

International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport, 2001, SOM Arch + Struct E

Stuttgart Airport, Terminal 1, Germany, 1991, von Gerkan Marg Arch

a.

b.

c.

(2) Fig. 10.1a Example of Space Frame Structures: tree construction in SAP2000

Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, 2002, KOHLSTRUNG INTERNATIONAL

ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGN CONSULTING CO

Cargolifterhalle, Berlin
Brand

Largest free-span hall on

Earth (2000)
width: 210 m
length: 360 m
height: 107 m
Arches consist of 4 trusses
with a fabric membrane
spanning between

Tekla Xsteel

Complex canopy

Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland,

CA, 2008, SOM Arch + Struct Eng

Cathdrale Notre-Dame de Crteil Extension,

Paris, France, 2015, Architecture Studio

The Response of Roof Arches to Loading

SIMPLE LOADING CONDITIONS
FUNICULAR COMPRESSION SYSTEMS
BRACED ARCHES
COMPOSITE SYSTEMS AND FORM-RESISTANT STRUCTURES

ARCHES WITH PRESTRESSED TENSILE WEBS

The Response of Roof Arches to Loading

Parabolic arches and circular arches behave differently under loading
unless there are shallow and have a height-to-san ratio of h/L 1/8,
in which case the circular arch can be treated as a parabolic one for
preliminary design purposes.
Under uniform, gravity load action on the horizontal projection, the pressure
line coincides with the centroidal axis, or the parabolic arch is the funicular
shape for the given loading. Hence there is no bending and no shear along the
arch; the forces are resisted in purely axial manner. The maximum axial force
Nmax appears at the reaction.
The dead load, however, acts as a uniform load along the arch, for which the
funicular response is a catenary. Because of the complex mathematical nature
of the form, it is often approximated by a second-degree parabola, especially
when the parabola is shallow. Hence, dead load action may be approximated
as a horizontal uniform load and considered similar to snow loading
The critical moments for a parabolic arch occur under asymmetrical uniform
live loading across one-half of the arch. The maximum and minimum
moments for a three-hinge arch are located at quarter spans and are equal to,

M = wLL2/64

The same equations can also be used for preliminary design purposes for twohinged and fixed arches.

Pressure line responses to various

load actions: funicular shapes

Typically, an arch's profile is based on the funicular profile corresponding

to dead load acting alone, and the arch rib is designed to resist shear and
bending moments resulting from unbalanced live loads. The arch must be
designed to resist both extremes.

Response of typical gable frame roof enclosures to gravity loading

Simple Arch Loading

Response of the arch to single-load action

Parabolic arch under uniform load action

Circular arch under uniform load action

Graphic statics

Colonia Guell crypt, Barcelona, 1915, Antoni Gaudi:

compressive construction (brick)

construction follows the pressure line

Funicular shape under uniform loads

Arches under loading: exercises

Construction of a Circular Arch with SAP

1) Just draw a single line between the arch supports.
2) Select the arch member (only one member may be selected at a time) to
be meshed.
3) From the Edit menu select Mesh Curved Frame/Cable command to
access the Curve Parameters form. From the Type of Circular Curve dropdown list select a predefined curve such as Circular Arc Planar Point &

Radius

4) Enter the Radius and a value for the Number of Divisions in this edit box
to specify the meshing of the generated curved frame/cable element.
5) Click the Insert button and SAP2000 will calculate the coordinates of the
curve automatically based on the Number of Divisions specified. The curve
will be displayed in plan in the display area on the right-hand side of the
Curve Parameters form.
6) Click OK button and the arch will appear on the screen but not in the xzplane, it must be rotated to its proper location: select all (i.e. arc), then Edit,
then Replicate, then Radial, then Rotate About XLine, then check
Coordinates of Point on YZ Plane, then check Angle of rotation using
increments of 450, and check Delete Original Objects, then OK.

Minor masonry arches:

arch action in compression

Thick arches:

the pressure line falls

within the arch section
moments are small
tensile stresses are small
masonry can be used
arch action primarily in
compression

Neue Messe Leipzig

Arch has a deep cross
section, therefore the
pressure line falls
within the section
causing primarily
compression in the
trussed member

fixed arch

Radial forces and stresses

STATICALLY DETERMINACY
3-hinged arch
statically determinate
all pressure lines pass through the 3 hinges where the
moments are zero.
convinient for transportation (prefab arches)
2-hinged arch
once indeterminate: moments occur at the eliminated hinge.
force flow is rather close to 3-hinged arches since the
moments are rather small.
Fixed arch
thrice indeterminate
moments occur at the fixed supports.

Indeterminate Arches

BCE Place, Toronto, 1992,

Santiago Calatrava
2-hinged arch
steep arch with small
thrust forces

wL
w

M min = Ne

Mmax
h

N
H

H
Av
/2

Bv

/2

For the preliminary design of three-hinged circular roof arches considering

only gravity loading, one may use the following approximations:

Shallow arches (h/L 1/8): treat circular arches as parabolic arches, use

M = wLL2/64
Intermediate arches (1/8 < h/L 1/3) for the rise-to-span ratios between
steep and shallow roof arches, circular arches may be considered as parabolic
arches for first-approximation purposes, although the effect of dead load causing
bending must be considered.
Mmax - wDh2/8 - wLL2/64
Ignored are safely the difference in location between the two moments.

Steep circular arches (h/L > 1/3) use

Mmax = - wh2/8

Design of: parabolic arch: Mmax = wLL2/64 = 0.5(40)2/64 = 12.5 k-ft

0.75(12.5 + 14.55) = 20.29 k-ft (COMB4)
S 1.15Mb/Fb = 1.15(20.29)12/24 = 11.67 in.3

try W8 x 15, Sx = 11.8 in.3

semicircular arch: -Mmax = wh2/8 = 1.0(20)2/8 = 50 k-ft
0.75(-50 - 8) = -43.5 k-ft (COMB3)
S 1.10Mb/Fb = 1.10(50)12/24 = 27.5 in.3

try W8 x 35, Sx = 31.2 in.3

Parabolic arch:
Mmax wwh2/5.5 = 0.2(20)2/5.5 = 14.55 k-ft

Semicircular arch:
Mmax wwh2/4.5 = 0.2(20)2/4.5 = 17.78 k-ft
Mmin -wwh2/10 = -0.2(20)2/10 = -8 k-ft

wind loading

Parabolic arch:
Mmax= - PL/16 = -2(40)/16 = -5 k-ft

Semicircular arch:
Mmax - PL/10= -2(40)/10 = -8 k-ft

Single load at crown

PARABOLIC ARCH

Intermediate arches,
h/L = 10/40 =

Parabolic arch
CIRCULAR ARCH

Design based on left side:

+Mmax = wLL2/64 =
0.5(40)2/64 = 12.5 k-ft
S 1.25Mb/Fb =
1.25(12.5)12/24 = 7.81 in.3

Circular arch:

try W8 x 13, Sx = 9.91 in.3

Design based on right side:

Mmax - wDh2/8 - wLL2/64 = - 0.5(10)2/8 12.5 = -6.25 12.5 = -18.75 k-ft

S 1.20Mb/Fb = 1.20(18.75)12/24 = 11.25 in.3
try W8 x 15, Sx = 11.8 in.3

Parabolic arch:

Mmax= - PL/16
= -2(40)/16 = -5 k-ft

Semicircular arch:
Mmax 1.2(- PL/16)
= 1.2(-5) = -6 k-ft
Single load at crown

PARABOLIC ARCH

CIRCULAR ARCH

Treat the shallow arches as parabolic arches for preliminary design purposes
because of the rise-to-span ratio h/L = 5/40 = 1/8
Mmax = wL L2/64 = 0.5(40)2/64 = 12.5 k-ft
S 1.35Mb/Fb = 1.35(12.5)12/24 = 8.44 in.3

try W8 x 13, Sx = 9.91 in.3

SAP requires a W8 x 15

PARABOLIC ARCH

CIRCULAR ARCH

Single crown load:

Mmax= PL/16 = 2(40)/16 = 5 k-ft

Uniform loading on
inclined member

Folded/bent
beam structures:
loading and
moments

8'

90
40'

Arches and bent beams

Case d: bent beam

The connection at the top is hinged and cannot resist any
horizontal forces
the column carries only vertical reaction forces
the right foundation only carries vertical reaction forces
the structure is a bent beam
20'

8'

40'

Arches EXAMPLE: 9.1

First, the geometry input for modeling the arches must be determined.
The radius, R, for the shallow arch (Fig. 7.7A) according to Eq. (7.7), is

R = (4h2 + L2)/8h = (4(8)2 + 402)/8(8) = 29 ft

The location of the span L as related to the center of the circle is defined
by the radial angle o according to Eq. (7.8).

sin o= (L/2)/R =20/29 = 0.69,

o = 43.600

Now three grid spaces with the following grid spacing along radial angles
are selected,

o/n = 43.600/3=14.530
The circular arch length, l, according to Eq. (7.9), is

l = R(o/900) = (29)43.60/90 = 44.14 ft

The arch length, l, for the semicircular arch, is

l = R = (20) = 62.83 ft

To model the geometry of the arches in SAP the following values are selected:

Global grid system:

grid spacing in X direction: 4 ft using 24 spaces

grid spacing in Y direction: 4 ft using 24 spaces
grid spacing in Z direction: 4 ft using 15 spaces

Cylindrical grid system: CSYS1 for case A:

grid spacing along Radius: 29 ft using 1 space
radial angles along Theta: 14.53 deg using 6 spaces
spacing of curves along Z direction: 29 ft using 1 space
The circular sector must be rotated 90 43.60 deg = 46.40 deg counterclockwise
about the Z axis.
CSYS2 for Case C:
grid spacing along Radius: 20 ft using 1 space
radial angles along Theta: 15 deg using 12 spaces
spacing of curves along Z direction: 20 ft using 1 space
Duplicate full arches and delete portions to obtain the one-half arches.

Mmax wL2/162 = 0.8(240)2/162 = 284 k-ft (SAP 310 k-ft)

Where the triangular load: w (0.020 + 0.018)240/36 = 0.8 k/ft

S 1.10Mb/Fb = 1.10(284)12/24 = 156.2 in3
Try W24 x 76, S = 176 in3

Ribbed Domes

Circular dome using Etabs

798 Beijing Art Factory,

Beijing, 1956

COMPOSITE SYSTEMS AND FORM-RESISTANT STRUCTURES

An example of an asymmetrical arch system is shown in the next slide. Here the supports are
at different levels and a long-span arch and a short arch support each other, in other words
the crown hinge is located off-center.
The relatively shallow asymmetrical arch system constitutes a nearly funicular response in
compression under uniform load action since the circular geometry approaches the parabolic
one; notice that the location of the hinge is of no importance. Hence, live loading for each arch
separately must be considered in order to cause bending, while the dead load is carried in
nearly pure compression action; the long arch on the right side clearly carries the largest
moments. Superimposing the pressure lines of the two loading cases results in a
composite funicular polygon that looks like the shape of two inclined bowstring trusses, hence
suggesting a good design solution. For long-span arches the use of triangular space trusses
may be advantageous.
Under asymmetrical loading on the long arch, the long arch acts in compression and the
bottom chord in tension to resist the large positive bending moment. However, the bottom
chord of the short arch acts in compression and the top chord in tension under the negative
bending moment. But should the bottom member be straight, then it resists directly the
compression force due to the live load in funicular fashion leaving no axial force or moment in
the arch.
Under asymmetrical loading on the short arch, the bottom chord of the long truss will resist
the compression force directly, hence causing no moment or axial force in the arch if it would
be a compression member. But since it is a tension member, there must be enough tension due
to the weight of the long-span in the member to suppress the compression force!

Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin,

2006, von Gerkan, Marg Arch,
Schlaich Bergermann Struct Eng

Space Truss Arch: axial force flow

Pressure lines in elevation

Plan view

Asymmetrical arch

2.68'

C.
10'

30 deg
17.32'

60 deg

Bh
Bv
10'
30 deg

a.

Ah

20'

Av

17.32'

2.68'

7.32'
5.86'
17.32'

4.29'

b.

10'

27.32'

EXAMPLE: 9.2

10

.10

Mmax

Mmin

7.70 k
5.86'

4.29'

10'

27.32'

Waterloo Terminal, London, 1993, Nicholas Grimshaw + Anthony Hunt

BRACED ARCHES
When arches are braced or prestressed by tensile elements, they are
stabilized against buckling, and deformations due to various loading
conditions and the corresponding moments are minimized, which in turn
results in reduction of the arch cross-section. The stabilization of the arch
through bracing can be done in various ways as suggested in Fig. 9.12 and
9.14.

Several typical examples of braced arches with non-prestressed web

members are shown in Fig. 9.12. The most basic braced arch is the tied
arch (b). Arches may be supported by a single or multiple compression struts
or flying columns (c, d)). Slender arches may also be braced against buckling
with radial ties at center span (e) as known from the principle of the bicycle
wheel, where the thin wire spokes of the bicycle wheel are prestressed with
sufficient force so that they do not carry compression and buckle due to
external loads; the uniform radial tension produces compression in the outer
circular rim (ring) of the wheel and tension in the inner ring. However, in the
given case, the diagonal members are not prestressed. Here, the three
members at center-span are struts.

The design of the unbraced arched portal frame in (a), is controlled by full
uniform gravity loading; here the lateral thrust at the frame knees is resisted
completely in bending. However, when the relatively shallow portion of the arch
is braced by a horizontal tie rod (b), the lateral displacement under full uniform
gravity loading is very much reduced, that is bending decreases substantially
although axial forces will increase. For the tied arch cases without or with flying
column supports for cases (b, c, d)), the design of the critical arch members is
controlled by gravity loading or the combination of half gravity loading together
with wind whereas the design of the web members is controlled by gravity
loading. It is apparent, as the layout of the arch webbing gets denser the arch
moments will decrease further as the structure approaches an axial system. If a
vertical load large enough is applied to the intersection of web members in case
(e) to prestress the radial rod web members, then the entire web members
form a radial tensile network. For further discussion refer to Problem 9.1.

Arches may also be supported by a dense network of overlapping diagonal

tensile members (f); notice, this case represents a pure tensile network. When
loaded on one side the diagonals under the load fold while the diagonal members
on the non-loaded side are placed under tension. SAP takes into account the
redistribution of forces by treating the cable network in case (f), for example, as
tension-only members by performing a nonlinear static analysis. In general,
however, depending on the arch proportions the tensile webbing may have to be
prestressed to act more efficiently under any loading condition and to increase the
load carrying capacity and stiffness of the arch.
The cable-braced, latticed, tied-arch in Fig. 9.12g approaches the behavior of a
truss; the cable network substantially reduces bending moments in the arch and tie
beam where the bottom loads prestress the arch. For fast approximation purposes
use the beam analogy .

10'

d
6'

12'

e
c

10'

L = 40'

Problem 9.1: Braced arches

Beams above or below the arches carry the

moments due to the varying live loads

ARCHES WITH PRESTRESSED TENSILE WEBS

The spirit of the delicate roof structure of the Lille Euro Station, Lille,
France as shown in the following conceptual drawing (1994, Jean-Marie
Duthilleul/ Peter Rice), reflects a new generation of structures aiming for
lightness and immateriality. This new technology features construction with
its own aesthetics reflecting a play between artistic, architectural,
mathematical, and engineering worlds. The two asymmetrical transverse
slender tubular steel arches (set at about 12 m or 40 ft on center) with
diameters of around one-hundredth of their span, are of different radii; the
larger arch has a span of 26 m and the smaller one 18.5 m. The arches are
braced against buckling similar to the spokes of a wheel by deceitfully
disorganized ties and rods; this graceful and light structure, in harmony
with the intimate space, was not supposed to look right but to reflect a
spirit of ambiguity. The roof does not sit directly on the arches, but on a
series of slender tubes that are resting on the arches which, in turn, carry
the longitudinal cable trusses that support the undulating metal roof. The
support structure allowed the gently curved roof almost to float or to free it
from its support, emphasizing the quality of light.

TGV Lille-Europe Station,

Lille, France, 1994, JeanMarie Duthilleul/ Peter Rice

PRESTRESSING TENSILE WEBS

To model tensile webs of arches, the web members may have to be
prestressed by applying external prestress forces, or temperature
forces.
With respect to external prestress forces, run the structure as if it were, say
a trussed arch, and determine the compression forces in the web members,
which it naturally cannot support. Then, as a new loading case, apply an
external force, which causes enough tension in the compression member so
that never compression can occur.

With respect to temperature forces, run the structure without prestressing

it, then determine the maximum compression force in the cable members
which should not exist, then apply a negative thermal force (i.e.
temperature decrease causes shortening) to all those members thereby prestressing them, so that they all will be in tension.
To perform the thermal analysis in SAP, select the frame element, then click
Assign, then Frame/Cable Loads, and then Temperature; in the Frame
Temperature Loading dialog box select first Load Case, then Type (i.e.
temperature for uniform constant temperature difference).

20'

10'

500
0

50

50

50 0

50 0

50

Braced Arches Problem 9.3

Introducing to the semicircular arch a horizontal tie rod (Problem 9.3) at midheight, reduces lateral displacement of the arches due to uniform gravity
action substantially, so that the combination of gravity load and wind load
controls now the design rather than primarily uniform gravity loading for an
arch without a tie. Also the moments due to the gravity and wind load
combination are reduced since the tie remains in tension as it transfers part of
the wind load in compression to the other side of the arch. In contrast, when
the arch is braced with a trussed network , then the arch is stiffened laterally
very much, so that the uniform gravity loading case controls the design with
the corresponding smaller moments.
Similar behavior occurs for the arch placed on the diagonal (Fig. 9.14d, e). As
a pure arch its design is controlled by bending with very small axial forces as
based on gravity loading, in other words it behaves as a flexural system.
However, when prestressed tensile webbing is introduced the moments in the
arch are substantially reduced and the axial forces increased, now the arch
approaches more the behavior of an axial-flexural structure system
requiring much smaller member sizes; also here the controlling load case is
gravity plus prestressing although the design of some members is based on
dead load and prestressing. For further discussion refer to Problem

Munich Airport Center, Munich, Germany, 1997, Helmut Jahn Arch

Kempinski Hotel, Munich, Germany, 1997,

H. Jahn/Schlaich

Stone Pavilion of
the Future, EXPO
92, Seville, Spain,
Peter Rice Eng.
(Ove Arup)

Stone Pavilion of the Future, EXPO 92, Seville, Spain, Peter Rice Eng. (Ove Arup)

student project