LONG SPAN

STRUCTURES

(ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

AND MATERIALS)

PRASHANT PAL
5THYEAR SEM: 9
COLLEGE: I.I.A
SUBMITTED TO:
AR. SASMIT SIR
HISTORY OF LONG SPAN STRUCTURE

USE OF LONG SPAN STRUCTURES HAS TODAY BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART

OF THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. WHILE MUCH
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND USES OFFERED BY
THESE STRUCTURES, NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT THEIR ORIGIN AND
GROWTH. CONTRARY TO THE POPULAR BELIEF THAT LARGE SPAN
STRUCTURES WERE DEVELOPED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 20TH
CENTURY, THEIR DEVELOPMENT WAS INITIATED, SHORTLY AFTER THE
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT IN THE LATER PART OF THE 19TH
CENTURY WITH THE ADVENT OF THE RAILWAYS IN THIS ERA, THE NEED TO
CONSTRUCT LONG SPAN ENCLOSURES WAS FELT MORE THAN EVER.
THANKFULLY THE TECHNOLOGY OF CAST IRON STRUCTURES AT THIS TIME
WAS ADVANCED ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH
STRUCTURE POSSIBLE. WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME, CAST IRON WAS
REPLACED BY WROUGHT IRON, WHICH IN TURN CAME TO BE REPLACED BY
STEEL AND THIS IN TURN ENABLED THE BUILDING OF LONGER AND LARGER
STRUCTURES

SOME PROMINENT STRUCTURES THAT FEATURED LARGE SPAN

CONSTRUCTION IN THE LATER YEARS OF THE 19TH CENTURY INCLUDES,
BRITAIN’S CRYSTAL PALACE, PADDINGTON STATION AND ST. PANCRAS
STATION. THESE BUILDINGS WERE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE NEW AGE
ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING. BESIDES BEING LIGHTWEIGHT AND
FUNCTIONAL, THEY WERE ALSO EXTREMELY COST EFFECTIVE AND
EXPRESSED SIMPLICITY OF DESIGN AND PRECISION OF STRUCTURE.IN THE
EARLIER YEARS OF 20TH CENTURY, THE ADVANCES IN AIRPLANE
TECHNOLOGY, SPELLED THE NEED FOR ECONOMICALLY CONSTRUCTED
LARGE SPAN SHEDS THAT ALSO OFFERED LARGE VOLUME. THESE SHEDS
WERE USED FOR HOUSING HUGE DELICATE DIRIGIBLES AND AIRCRAFTS.
WITH THE INCREASE IN THE VOLUME OF AIR-TRAFFIC, THE QUALITY AND
SIZE OF THESE SHEDS WAS FURTHER ENHANCED. LATER, IN KEEPING WITH
THE WARTIME REQUIREMENTS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF ECONOMICAL, EASY
TO CONSTRUCT AND LOW PROFILE HANGERS PICKED UP PACE.

MATERIALS USED FOR LONG SPAN STRUCTURE

IN THE MODERN TIMES, THE CONSTRUCTION OF MEGA STRUCTURES HAS

UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN TERMS OF DESIGN AS WELL AS THE
MATERIALS BEING USED. UNLIKE EARLIER TIMES, MOST LARGE STRUCTURES
CONSTRUCTED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS FAVOR A LONGER AND
COLUMN FREE DESIGN THAT OFFERS SCOPE FOR A CLEAR UNOBSTRUCTED
VIEW OVER A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE. A LARGE SPAN STRUCTURE IS
ESPECIALLY PREFERRED FOR BUILDING HANGARS, STADIUMS AND ARENA
ROOFS WHICH GENERALLY FEATURE A STRUCTURE SPAN OF MORE THAN 40
M.

STEEL:

 THE MOST COMMON MATERIAL USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH

STRUCTURES IS STEEL AS IT OFFERS THE BENEFIT OF BEING LIGHT
WEIGHT AND HAVING A HIGH STRENGTH TO WEIGHT RATIO.
 FACTORS SUCH AS WIND PRESSURE, SNOW DRIFT AND EVEN THE TYPE
OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS BEING USED NEED TO BE CONSIDERED
CLOSELY FOR ENHANCED DESIGN AND COSTING OF THE STRUCTURE. A
MODERN HEAVY STRUCTURE MANUFACTURER IN INDIA OR
ELSEWHERE GENERALLY PREFERS TO USE TENSILE FABRICS FOR
CLADDING AS THEY ARE NOT ONLY EXTREMELY LIGHT WEIGHT BUT
ALSO QUITE FLEXIBLE AND HENCE PERFECT FOR USE IN COMPLEX
DESIGNS.

CONCRETE:

 REINFORCED CONCRETE, BECAUSE OF ITS INHERENT STRENGTH IN

COMPRESSION, IS PRIMARILY USED FOR LONG SPANS IN FUNICULAR
COMPRESSION FORMS, INCLUDING VAULTS, SHELLS, AND DOMES. THIN
PARABOLIC SHELL VAULTS STIFFENED WITH RIBS HAVE BEEN BUILT
WITH SPANS UP TO ABOUT 90 METRES (300 FEET). MORE COMPLEX
FORMS OF CONCRETE SHELLS HAVE BEEN MADE, INCLUDING
HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOIDS, OR SADDLE SHAPES, AND INTERSECTING
PARABOLIC VAULTS. AN EXAMPLE OF THE LATTER IS THE CNIT
EXHIBITION HALL IN PARIS, WHICH CONSISTS OF SIX INTERSECTING
DOUBLE-SHELL PARABOLIC VAULTS BUILT TO SPAN A TRIANGULAR
SPACE 216 METRES (708 FEET) ON A SIDE WITH SUPPORTS ONLY AT THE
APEXES OF THE TRIANGLE. REINFORCED CONCRETE DOMES, WHICH
ARE USUALLY ALSO OF PARABOLIC SECTION, ARE BUILT EITHER IN
RIBBED FORM OR AS THIN SHELLS. THE MAXIMUM SPAN OF THESE
DOMES IS ABOUT 200 METRES (660 FEET).
 ANOTHER FUNICULAR FORM USED IN CONCRETE, THOUGH IT IS REALLY
A COMPOSITE STRUCTURE, IS THE INVERTED DOME, OR DISH. AS IN THE
STEEL BICYCLE WHEEL, A CONCRETE COMPRESSION RING RESTING ON
COLUMNS AT THE PERIMETER OF THE STRUCTURE SUPPORTS RADIAL
STEEL CABLES THAT RUN INWARD AND DOWNWARD TO A SMALL
STEEL TENSION RING AT THE CENTRE, FORMING THE DISH SHAPE. THE
CABLE NETWORK IS STIFFENED AGAINST WIND FORCES BY ENCASING
 IT IN A POURED CONCRETE DISH; STRUCTURES OF THIS TYPE HAVE
BEEN BUILT WITH SPANS OF UP TO 126 METRES (420 FEET).

ACOUSTICS:

 LONG-SPAN AUDITORIUMS INVOLVE CONSIDERATIONS IN ACOUSTICS:

AUDIENCES WISH TO HEAR SPEAKERS CLEARLY AND TO HEAR MUSIC
WITH APPROPRIATE TONALITY. UNFORTUNATELY, ACOUSTIC
REQUIREMENTS FOR SPEECH QUALITY OFTEN CONFLICT WITH THOSE
FOR MUSIC, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO DESIGN AN AUDITORIUM THAT IS
SATISFACTORY FOR BOTH. THE BEST SINGLE MEASURE OF ACOUSTIC
PERFORMANCE FOR AUDITORIUMS IS THE REVERBERATION TIME,
WHICH IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE VOLUME OF THE HALL
AND INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE AMOUNT OF SOUND
ABSORBENCY WITHIN IT, INCLUDING WALL AND CEILING SURFACES
AND THE AUDIENCE ITSELF.

TIMBER:

 GLUE-LAMINATED TIMBER CAN BE USED AS A LONG-SPAN MATERIAL.

IT CAN BE PREFABRICATED USING METAL CONNECTORS INTO TRUSSES
THAT SPAN UP TO 45 METRES (150 FEET). ITS MOST ECONOMICAL
FORMS, HOWEVER, ARE THE PURE COMPRESSION SHAPES OF THE
MULTIPLE-ARCH VAULT, WITH SPANS UP TO 93 METRES (305 FEET), AND
RIBBED DOMES, WITH SPANS UP TO 107 METRES (350 FEET). THESE ARE
OFTEN USED AS INDUSTRIAL STORAGE BUILDINGS FOR MATERIALS
SUCH AS ALUMINA, SALT, AND POTASH THAT WOULD CORRODE STEEL
OR CONCRETE. SUCH TIMBER STRUCTURES ARE USUALLY FOUND ONLY
NEAR FORESTED AREAS; TRANSPORTATION OF TIMBER TO OTHER
AREAS INCREASES ITS COST.

COMPARISON OF MATERIALS BETWEEN LONG SPAN STRUCTURES

THIS STUDY ARGUES THAT THE MOST EFFICIENT STRUCTURAL SOLUTION

MAY NOT BE THE BEST IN TERMS OF OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY OUTCOMES,
AND THE SELECTION OF A STRUCTURAL SYSTEM SHOULD BE BASED ON
MULTI-PERFORMANCE CRITERIA. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO
INFORM INTEGRATED DESIGN TEAMS DURING SCHEMATIC DESIGN PHASE
AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES TO BE MORE MINDFUL OF THE
PERFORMANCE OF STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS IN TERMS OF OTHER ASPECTS,
INCLUDING THERMAL, ACOUSTIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND FIRE RESISTANCE,
VERSUS SIMPLY ACTING AS THE STRUCTURE ALONE. ONE IMPORTANT
CRITERIA TO ADD TO THIS STUDY WOULD BE THE COST NOT JUST OF THE
STRUCTURAL MATERIALS, BUT THE COST FOR EACH SYSTEM TO MEET
CERTAIN ACOUSTIC, FIRE-RATING AND THERMAL CRITERIA AND THE
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IT WOULD ENTAIL.
FAMOUS LONG SPAN STRUCTURES

HOWRAH BRIDGE CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE

HONG KONG STADIUM

DENVER UNION STATION

HOWRAH BRIDGE:

 IT IS SUSPENTION TYPE BALANCE CANTILEVER BRIDGE.

 CENTRAL 457.5M SPAN ,SUSPENDED 172M SPAN, MAIN TOWERS ARE 85M
HIGH
 ANCHOR ARMS ARE 99.1M EACH
 BRIDGE DECK HANGS FROM 39 PAIRS OF HANGERS
 THE DECK SYSTEM INCLUDES CROSS GIRDERS SUSPENDED BETWEEN
THE PAIRS OF HANGERS BY A PINNED CONNECTION.
 TWO MAIN EXPANSION JOINTS, ONE AT EACH INTERFACE BETWEEN THE
SUSPENDED SPAN AND THE CANTILEVER ARMS
 TOTAL 8 ARTICULATION JOINTS, 3 AT EACH OF THE CANTILEVER ARMS
AND 2 EACH IN THE SUSPENDED PORTION.
 DECK HAS LONGITUDINAL RULING GRADIENT OF 1 IN 40 FROM EITHER
END
 BRIDGE IS JOINED BY A VERTICAL CURVE OF RADIUS 4,000 FEET (1,200
M).
 THE BRIDGE DOES NOT HAVE NUTS AND BOLTS
 IT CONSUMED 26,000 TONS OF STEEL.
 THE BRIDGE WAS ERECTED BY COMMENCING AT THE TWO ANCHOR
SPAN AND ADVANCING TOWARDS THE CENTER WITH THE USE OF
CREEPER CRANES MOVING ALONG THE UPPER CHORDS
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:

 THE PRIMARY DESIGN FEATURE OF THE BUILDING IS A LONG-SPAN

ROOF COVERING A TOTAL OF 70 000 M2 OVER VARIOUS FUNCTIONAL
REQUIREMENTS, MAKING IT ONE OF THE LARGEST ROOFS IN THE
WORLD WITHOUT AN EXPANSION JOINT.
  THE HEADHOUSE ROOF, SUPPORTED BY ONLY 30 COLUMNS SPACED AT
64 M IN THE NORTH–SOUTH DIRECTION AND AT 34 M IN THE EAST–WEST
DIRECTION, PRODUCES A LARGE COLUMN-FREE SPACE IDEAL FOR AN
AIRPORT.
 BY INCREASING THE DEPTH OF THE TRUSSES NEAR THE COLUMNS AND
RUNNING TRUSSES IN BOTH AN ORTHOGONAL GRID AND A 45° GRID,
LARGE SPACING AND CANTILEVERS OF 40 M ALONG THE PERIMETER
ARE ACHIEVED WITH AN OVERALL TRUSS DEPTH OF ONLY 4 M.
 THE TERMINAL BUILDING ALSO INCLUDES THE LARGEST AND LONGEST
CABLE WALL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. 
HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE :

 THE HKCEC HAS A TOTAL INTERNAL EXHIBITION AREA OF MORE THAN

28,000 SQ M WITH 16-METRE HEADROOM AND SPANS RANGING FROM 26
M TO 81.
  ITS MULTI-CURVED STEEL ROOF HAS A TOTAL AREA OF 40,000 SQ M,
WHILE THE 7,000 SQ M FULLY GLAZED MAIN ENTRANCE FOYER HAS A
CLEAR HEADROOM OF ABOUT 60 METRES.
  FOR THE SUPERSTRUCTURE, THE TWO GROUPS OF SERVICE CORE
WALLS SUPPORT THE COMPOSITE FLOOR DECK OF THE EXHIBITION
HALLS AS WELL AS THE 81-METRE SPAN ROOF TRUSSES.
 THE MAIN ROOF IS A STEEL STRUCTURE OVER A 8,500 SQ M COLUMN-
FREE EXHIBITION HALL AND A 6,000 SQ M CONVENTION HALL.
 TO CONSTRUCT THE ROOF, SIX 280-TONNE PRIMARY STEEL TRUSSES
WERE FABRICATED OFF-SITE.

Procedures to install the roof trusses :

1. PRIMARY TRUSS FRAME TRANSPORT TO SITE FROM THE

PHILIPPINES BY BARGE
2. TRUSS SLIP INTO THE RESERVED SLOT PROVIDED IN THE CORE
WALL
3. TRUSS BEING LIFTED TO THE ROOF LEVEL BY STRAND JACKS
4. TRUSS BEING SLID TO ITS FINAL POSITION BY HYDRAULIC
JACKS
5. INSTALLING THE CANTILEVER TRUSS LATER BY CRANE
HONG KONG STADIUM:

 THE STRUCTURE IN-SITU CONCRETE FRAMES AND SLABS WITH

PRECAST CONCRETE BLEACHERS WRE ANTICIPATED, FOR THE ROOF
TWO MAIN ARCHES SPANNING 240 M NORTH TO SOUTH WITH A RISE OF
55 M.
  STEEL TRUSSES AT 6 M CENTRES WERE TO SPAN BETWEEN THE
ARCHES AND THE UPPER EGE OF THE PRECAST CONCRETE RAKERS
 THE SECONDARY BEAMS AND FLOOR SLABS OF THE CONCOURSES
WERE PRECAST CONCRETE ELEMENTS; AND THE STEEL TRUSSES OF
THE ROOF CAME AT 12 M CENTRES INSTEAD OF 6 M. 
 THE MAIN ARCHES ARE TWO-PIN TRUSSES WITH A SQUARE CROSS-
SECTION (3,5 M X 3,5 M), WHICH ARE INCLINED AT 12° TO THE VERTICAL.
THE MAIN ARCHES ARE TWO-PIN TRUSSES WITH A SQUARE CROSS-
SECTION (3,5 M X 3,5 M), WHICH ARE INCLINED AT 12° TO THE VERTICAL.
 THE LENGTH OF AN ARCH TRUSS MODULE IS APPROX. 5 M; THEY HAVE
BEEN MANUFACTURED IN PAIRS, SO THAT ONE ARCH IS MADE UP 24
PAIRS OF STRAIGHT UNITS. 
 THE CURVED SECONDARY ROOF TRUSSES ARE HIP FRAMES PIN-
SUPPORTED AT THE RAKERS ENDS. THEY SPAN BETWEEN 40 M AND 55 M
AND HAVE A THREE-CHORD SECTION 3,5 M DEEP.
 ALONG THE UPPER EDGE OF THE STANDS THE STRUCTURE IS STIFFENED
THROUGH CROSS BRACING. THE VERTICAL ELEMENTS OF THE ROOF
TRUSSES ARE CONNECTED BY TRUSS MEMBERS AND THUS STABILISE
THE SECONDARY TRUSSES. 
 THEY CARRY THE WIND LOADS IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF
THE ROOF AND TRANSFER THEM INTO THE STAND STRUCTURE.
DENVER UNION STATION:

Steel Structure:

20-INCH-DIAMETER COLUMNS WITH 18" DIAMETER THRUST KICKSTANDS (15’

ON CENTER) PAINTED WITH 2-PART SYSTEM: ZINC-RICH EPOXY +
POLYSILOXANE GLOSS

Membrane:

 PTFE (TEFLON) COATED FIBERGLASS FABRIC, WITH ALUMINUM

FASTENERS
 LIGHT PERMEABLE • FIRE RESISTANT (NON-COMBUSTIBLE)
 SELF-CLEANING (INERT IN NATURE)
 LONG LIFE EXPECTANCY (35 YEARS)
 UV RESISTANT
TECHNIQUES FOR ERECTING LONG SPAN STRUCTURES IN INDIA

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS FOR LONG-SPAN BUILDINGS CAN BE CLASSIFIED

INTO TWO GROUPS: THOSE SUBJECT TO BENDING, WHICH HAVE BOTH
TENSILE AND COMPRESSIVE FORCES, AND FUNICULAR STRUCTURES, WHICH
EXPERIENCE EITHER PURE TENSION OR PURE COMPRESSION. BENDING
STRUCTURES INCLUDE THE GIRDER, THE TWO-WAY GRID, THE TRUSS, THE
TWO-WAY TRUSS, AND THE SPACE TRUSS. THEY HAVE VARYING OPTIMUM
DEPTH-TO-SPAN RATIOS RANGING FROM 1 : 5 TO 1 : 15 FOR THE ONE-WAY
TRUSS TO 1: 35 TO 1 : 40 FOR THE SPACE TRUSS. THE FUNICULAR STRUCTURES
INCLUDE THE PARABOLIC ARCH, TUNNEL VAULT, AND DOME, WHICH ACT IN
PURE COMPRESSION AND WHICH HAVE A RISE-TO-SPAN RATIO OF 1: 10 TO 1:
2, AND THE CABLE-STAYED ROOF, THE BICYCLE WHEEL, AND WARPED
TENSION SURFACES, WHICH ACT IN PURE TENSION. WITHIN THESE GENERAL
FORMS OF LONG-SPAN STRUCTURE, THE MATERIALS USED AND LABOUR
REQUIRED FOR ASSEMBLY ARE AN IMPORTANT CONSTRAINT ALONG WITH
OTHER ECONOMIC FACTORS.

COMMON STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS FOR LONG SPAN STRUCTURES

LONG SPAN BEAMS

LONG SPAN TRUSSES

LONG SPAN ROOF STRUCTURES

• TENSILE STRUCTURES • FOLDED PLATES • SHELL STRUCTURES • PORTAL

FRAMES.
LONG SPAN BEAMS TYPES

 PARALLEL BEAM APPROACH.

 COMPOSITE BEAM WITH WEB OPENINGS.
  CELLULAR COMPOSITE BEAM.
 TAPERED GRIDERS BEAM.
 HAUNCHED COMPOSITE BEAM.
LONG SPAN TRUSSES TYPES

 PRATT TRUSS.
 WAREN TRUSS.
 NORTH LIGHT TRUSS.
 SAW TOOTH TRUSS.
 FINK TRUSS.

LONG SPAN ROOF STRUCTURE

 PORTAL FRAMES

TENURE REQUIRED FOR ERECTING LONG SPAN STRUCTURES IN INDIA

WHILE MOST ARCHITECTURAL TERMS ARE CUT-AND-DRIED, “LONG SPAN” IS

MORE SUBJECTIVE. AND THE DEFINITION IS MORE OR LESS WHAT YOU
EXPECT IT TO BE – A BUILDING OR OTHER STRUCTURE THAT SPANS A LONG
AREA. BY GENERAL CONSENSUS, LONGSPAN STRUCTURES ARE AT LEAST 20
METERS (ABOUT 65 FEET).THE ADVANTAGE OF LONG-SPAN BUILDINGS IS
THAT THERE IS MORE SPACE INSIDE. LONGSPAN BUILDINGS ARE POPULAR
FOR SPORTS ARENAS AND OTHER APPLICATIONS REQUIRING MAXIMUM
VISIBILITY, AND FOR BULK STORAGE AND RETAIL USES REQUIRING LARGE
CLEAR AREA.

PROFESSIONAL DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

 DUE TO THE NATURE OF LONG-SPAN CONSTRUCTION, THE

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS INCLUDING FRAMING MEMBERS AND
TRUSSES ARE OVERSIZED AND REQUIRE SPECIAL CARE FOR
INSTALLATION. LONGSPAN STRUCTURES MAY NEED BRACING DURING
CRANING AND CONSTRUCTION TO KEEP THE MATERIALS TRUE. BEFORE
CONSTRUCTING A LONGSPAN STRUCTURE, MAKE SURE THE
CONTRACTOR AND BUILDING INSTALLATION CREWS HAVE
EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH BUILDINGS OF SIMILAR SIZE.
 A LICENSED ENGINEER SHOULD ALSO BE CONSULTED IN THE PLANNING
STAGES OF A LONGSPAN STRUCTURE. THE ENGINEER WILL ENSURE
 THAT THE BUILDING IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND MEETS LOCAL
BUILDING CODES. BECAUSE THE ROOF OF THE STRUCTURE IS NOT
SUPPORTED WITH INTERIOR COLUMNS, THE STRUCTURE MUST BE
DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND SNOW, WIND AND RAIN OVER LONG
DISTANCES WITHOUT EXCESSIVE DEFLECTION.
 FOR MANY LONG SPAN STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY THOSE USED FOR
SPORTS STADIUMS AND OTHER HIGH-PROFILE APPLICATIONS, THE
APPEARANCE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE
STRUCTURE. IN THESE CASES, AN ARCHITECT IS TYPICALLY PART OF
THE TEAM DESIGNING THE BUILDING.

MATERIALS USED IN LONG-SPAN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

CERTAIN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ARE BETTER SUITED FOR LONG-SPAN

STRUCTURES. LONG-SPAN STRUCTURES MUST BE MADE OF MATERIALS
LIGHT ENOUGH TO NOT REQUIRE INTERIOR SUPPORTS, YET STURDY ENOUGH
TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURES PLACED ON THE STRUCTURE.

 STEEL IS A COMMON BUILDING MATERIAL FOR LONG-SPAN

STRUCTURES. STEEL IS STRONG AND RELATIVELY LIGHTWEIGHT, SO IT
IS SUITABLE FOR THE BUILDING FRAME AND/OR THE OUTSIDE
CLADDING.
 WOOD, PARTICULARLY WOODEN TRUSSES, MAY BE USED FOR SMALLER
LONG-SPAN BUILDINGS. LONG WOODEN BEAMS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE
AND HARDER TO LOCATE, SO WOOD IS LESS COMMON FOR LARGER
BUILDINGS.
 STRUCTURAL FABRIC IS A COMMON CHOICE FOR LONG-SPAN
STRUCTURES BECAUSE FABRIC STRUCTURES ARE LIGHTWEIGHT,
INEXPENSIVE AND CAN QUICKLY COVER LARGE SURFACES. MANY
LONG-SPAN STRUCTURES, SUCH AS THE MUNICH OLYMPIC STADIUM,
USE FABRIC TO CREATE EYE-CATCHING SHAPES NOT AVAILABLE WITH
OTHER MATERIALS.
 GLASS CURTAIN WALLS ON NON-LOAD-BEARING WALLS PROVIDE A
UNIQUE APPEARANCE AND UNITE THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE
BUILDING.

LONG SPAN STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION IS A LENGTHY PROCESS. BEFORE

EMBARKING ON A LONG SPAN CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, BE SURE THAT YOU
ARE USING THE RIGHT MATERIALS AND THE RIGHT INSTALLATION TEAM.