STRUCTURE SYSTEMS

Bending resistant

Axial resistant

Stayed

Structure systems

Suspended

Anticlastic

Form resistant

Pneumatic

Tensile resistant
Prof Schierle

Cable truss

Hung

Bending Resistant

Crown Hall IIT, Chicago

Architect: Mies Van der Rohe

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Pierre Luigi Nervi: Labor Palace, Turin

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Vierendeel girder and frame

Salk Institute, La Jolla

Architect: Louis Kahn
Engineer: Komendant and Dubin

Structure systems

Viernedeel girders span 65

Provide adaptable plenum

Bar depth varies

with global shear

Perspective section and photo, courtesy Salk Institute

Prof Schierle

Sport Center UC Davis

Architect: Perkins & Will
Engineer: Leon Riesemberg
Two-way Vierendeel frame
Width: 252
Length: 315

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Folded Plate

Cylindrical Shell
Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Photo: Michael Bodycomb, 1977 Kimbell Art Museum. Reproduced with permission
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Truss structures
tension

Axial resistant

Wind bracing

Structure systems

compression

Sddeutshe Zeitung, Munich

Printing Plant
Architect: Von Seidlein et all

Prof Schierle

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Speed skating rink, Heerenveen, Holland

Architect: Van der Zee & Ybema
Engineer: Arie Krijegsman, ABT

Center truss distributes radial truss loads

Parabolic trusses match global moments under

uniform load for constant chord stress
Radial end trusses are supported by a center truss
that is elastically supported by cross trusses.

L = 217

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

CDG metro station 2 Paris

Architect / Engineer: Paul Andrew
Supports provide bi-lateral bracing

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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SPACE TRUSS

Javits Convention Center New York

Architect: I M Pei
Engineer: Weidlinger

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Larkspur Ferry Terminal San Francisco

Architect: Jacques De Brer
Engineer: Kaiser Engineers

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Airport terminal Stuttgart

Tree structures

Architect: Von Gerkan / Marg

Engineer: Weidleplan
Features:

12 trees, each 80 x 80

Four pipe stems, 48 branches

Skylights separate units

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Airport Terminal Stansted, UK

Architect: Norman Foster Associates
Engineer: Ove Arup and Partners
Steel lattice domes are supported by 36x36 m
trees that integrate mechanical services.
Four strands secure each dome to trunks for
lateral stability.

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Exposition hall, Turin

Form Resistant

Engineer: Pierre Luigi Nervi

The 85/112 m vault features prefab
Ferro-cement units to resist buckling

Structure systems

A Ferro-cement unit
B Site-cast concrete rib
C Skylight

Prof Schierle

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Bus Station Chur, Switzerland

Architect: Richard Brosi / Robert Obrist
Engineer: Toscano / Ove Arup (Peter Rice)
Inclined 16 steel arches span a 164 platform.
Radial strands resist lateral thrust and buckling.

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Exhibit Hall Leipzig

Architect: Von Gerkan / Marg
Engineer: Ian Ritchy

Point-supported glass with silicon joints

Features:
Point-supported glass vault
suspended from trussed arches
Automatic daylight shading

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Olympic Dome, Rome

Architect: Marcello Piacentini
Engineer: Pierre Luigi Nervi
Diameter
= 328
Depth
d = 44
Span/depth ratio
7.5
144 ferro-cement ribs resist buckling
48 pylons support the ribs

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Grid shell
HPR dome, Walla Walla, USA
Architect: Environmental Concern, Inc.
Engineer/builder: Temcor
Geodesic aluminum dome

206 diameter

42 depth

Span / depth ratio 4.9

Weighs less than 3 psf.

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Multi-hall, Mainz, Germany

Architect: Mutschler, Frei Otto, consultant
Engineer: Ove Arup
The multi-hall for the 1975 garden show spans 60 m
with 50 cm squares mesh of 50x50 mm wood slats
1
Form-finding hanging model
2
Square mesh deformed into rhomboids
to assume curvature

1
2

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Tensile Resistant

Stayed
Structure systems

Suspended

Anticlastic
Prof Schierle

Pneumatic

Cable truss
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Stayed structures

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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McCormick exhibit hall Chicago

Architect/Engineer: SOM
To span railroad trucks underneath, the truss roof is
suspended by stay cables from concrete pylons.
1
Axon
2
Section
3
Center joint
4
Exterior joint
A Pylon top
B Stay cable
C Truss web bar
D Stay bracket
E Edge stay, resists wind uplift

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Imos factory, Newport, UK

Architect: Richard Rogers
Engineer: Anthony Hunt

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Cable form = global moment

Chain link bridge Budapest (1849)

Rope bridge

Suspended structures

Structure systems

Golden Gate
bridge
cable bridge (1934)

Prof Schierle

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Oakland Coliseum (1967)

Architect: SOM
Engineer: Ammann and Whitney

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Diameter 400 ft
Outer concrete compression ring
Inner steel tension ring
Steel strands for main support
Concrete ribs resist unbalanced load
X-columns resist lateral seismic load

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Exhibit Hall Hanover

Architect: Thomas Herzog
Engineer: Schlaich Bergermann
Roof features:
3x40 cm steel suspender band

Prefab wood panels with ballast gravel

Skylights provide lighting and ventilation
(prevent balanced suspender support)
Prestressed glass wall avoids buckling of
mullions due to roof deflection

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Anticlastic structures

Anticlastic = saddle shape, inverse curvatures

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Structure systems
Prof Schierle
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Edge arch

Point shape Arch shape

Edge cable

Wave shape Saddle shape

Surface conditions

Edge beam

Edge conditions

Saddle Shape
Olympic Stadium Munich
Architect: Guenter Behnisch
Engineer: Leonhardt und Andrae

Anticlastic cable nets of 75 cm meshes

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

Concave cables support gravity

Convex cables resist wind uplift
Cable nets supported by masts
Ring cable
Flying buttresses support cable net
Neoprene cylinders support Plexiglas

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Arch Shapes

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Skating rink Munich

Architect: Ackermann
Engineer: Schlaich / Bergermann
Features:

Prismatic steel truss arch, 100 m span

Anticlastic cable nets (75x75 cm)
Wood slats
Translucent fabric

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Frei Otto: Exhibit Hall Hamburg

Horst Berger: Sand Diego Convention Center

Wave Shapes

Fentress: Denver Airport

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Point Shapes
Sea World Africa USA
Architect: Schierle
Engineer: ASI

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Pneumatic structures

Air Supported

Structure systems

Air Inflated
Fuji pavilion Osaka Expo 1970

Prof Schierle

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Cable Truss
Schierle & Berkeley students

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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 Olympic pool
4 multipurpose gyms
Cable trusses, 120 span

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Stadium roof Oldenburg, Germany

Engineer: Schlaich Bergermann
Cable truss & anticlastic membrane panels

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Vertical STRUCTURES
Structure systems

Vertical / lateral systems

1

Shear walls are least flexible but good for

apartments and hotels with party walls

Cantilevers provide the least intrusion at

ground floor

Moment frames are most flexible, good for

office buildings

Concrete moment resistant joint:

Rebars extend through beam and column

Steel moment resistant joint:

beam flanges welded to column flanges;
stiffener plates between column flanges
resist bending stress of beam flanges

Braced frames are more flexible than walls

but less flexible than moment frames
bracing is usual around central cores

Prof Schierle

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Shear resistant structures

Structure systems

Salk Institute, La Jolla

Architect: Louis Kahn
Engineer: Komendant and Dubin

Prof Schierle

Concrete shear walls

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Terrace Homes Hermosa Beach

Architect: G G Schierle
Engineer: Robert Metha

Design concept: to minimized grading and retaining walls:

adapt building to site instead of adapting site to building
A 14 x 22 ft module allows shear walls aligned vertically
Raised rear provides energy-saving cross ventilation

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Terrace Housing Hermosa Beach

Structure systems

Project size required 2-hr fire separation

Prof Schierle

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Structure systems
Prof Schierle

Engineer: Fritz Leonhard

T V tower Stuttgart

Cantilever structures

Bending resistant

1, 2
Single tower

3, 4
Twin tower

5, 6
Suspended

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Cantilever
Pirelli Tower, Milan
Architect: Ponti
Engineer: Nervi

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Moment frames

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Ocean view condos Venice

Steel moment frames / wood framing
Moment joints provide lateral resistance
and wide Ocean view

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Framed tube

CBS Tower New York

Architect: Eero Saarinen
The 38-story tower has framed tube of concrete posts,
triangular on upper floors and diamond shaped at ground floor.
Columns have niches for mechanical ducts that decrease
with decreasing duct sizes from mechanical floor on top but
not from the second floor mechanical room.
A

Top floor columns

2nd floor columns

Ground floor columns

Concrete floors span between core and framed tube:

Structure systems

One-way rib slabs face the core

Two-way waffle slabs at corners

Size:

155x125x494 high (47x38x151m)

Typical story height:

12 (3.66m)

Height/width ratio

3.9

Prof Schierle

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First interstate Bank Los Angeles

Architect: I M Pei
Engineer: CBM

Braced Frames

Axial resistant

Combines:
framed tube exterior
with braced core

Moment frame
drift

Structure systems

Braced frame
drift

Combined
drift
Prof Schierle

48

Hotel Artes Barcelona

Architect/Engineer: SOM
Features:
Exposed steel 5 from skin
for fire protection
Belt trusses reduce lateral drift

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Glue-lam beam = > belt truss analogy

Large drift:
unglued boards resist independently
Small drift:
glued boards resist in synergy
(shear joins tension & compression)

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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Eiffel Tower form follows wind load bending diagram

Form- and axial resistant

Eiffel Tower Paris

Structure systems
Prof Schierle
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West coast Transmission

Tower Vancouver
Architect: Rhone & Iredale
Engineer: Bogue Babicki

Suspended high-rise

Tensile resistant

174

Structure systems

12 suspenders
supported by concrete core

108
36

36

Prof Schierle

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Structure systems
Prof Schierle
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Architect: Hentrich and Petschnigg

Standard Bank Center, Johannesburg

Architect: Karl Schwanzer

BMW headquarters Munich

Matterhorn natural structure

Structure systems

Prof Schierle

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