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Student Research Project
Membrane constructions - solutions for corner

details
Student Research Project 2011-2012

Budapest University of Technology and Economics
Faculty of Architecture
Department of Mechanics, Materials and Structures,
Fzes Blint Pter
Advisor: Dr. Hegyi Dezs, PHD Assistant Professor
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Table of contents
1. Abstrakt
2. Membrane constructions and their main detaillings
3. Main typologies of tensile surface structures
4. Statical behaviour of tensile surface structures
5. Simple connections
6. Solutions with webbing
7. Solutions with metal plates
8. Solutions with membrane kept away from the corner
9. Solutions with continuous ropes
10. Solutions connected to flexible edging
11. Solution with two layers
12. Sources
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I. Abstract
Scientific research (Student Research Project) performed as part of my extra-

curricular studies, was to investigate a special type of structure in the field of
membrane structures (more commonly referred to as canvas or awning structure). My
aim is to compile an engineering guide which clearly shows the corner nodes and the
operation of the nodal points of this type of structure.
My long term plan is to create structural descriptions which deals with the complete
positioning of all membranes of the awning and offer wide ranging solutions for them
i.e. the anchorages and cable connections, the corner details, the stiff and flexible
edge details, the awning edges and mast details. Amongst these types of connections
I found many examples, however at the 2011 Student Research Project Forum only
the corner details were fully developed.
Within the scope of Hungarian reference literature, you are still unable to find a
collection of technical drawings showing these structural nodes, for which these
solutions are specifically outlined. Therefore my Student Research Project paper fills a
structural engineering niche, which I hope will be useful for everyone who is either
simply interested , or who is researching the topic for a specific project whether it be a
simple shade, or covering public areas or stadiums.
Regarding the construction and design of the manual, I used graphical illustrations to
explain the behavioural characteristics of the structure. In the introduction , firstly the
geometric characteristics of the structure will be explained then briefly we will discuss
the main structural components (awnings, keders, cables, webbings) materials and
functional properties, design characteristics. These do not need to be discussed in
detail as there are plenty of reference books regarding these. The introduction also
describes the main types of nodes, and detail the behaviour of the membranes with a
specific given power, which is based on Mariottes formula. The formula shows, how
an infinitely small piece of the canvas, through internal or external pressures on the
surface keeps an even balance. Next, the canvas corner nodes particular behaviour
will be described - the tensions at the corner connections form an extremely
complicated system, a detailed discussion of which could be the basis of a doctoral
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thesis, however we explain the main effects, which serves as a basis to introduce the
engineering categories and variations.
Fundamentally the paper deals with the corner connections, predominantly foreign
examples are used. Along with the technical drawings, explanatory dimensional and
functional diagrams are included. The examples (circa 50) are divided into groups,
such as the unbroken rope connections, the fixed canvas on metal plate connections,
flexible edge connections, etc..
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II. Main details of the membrane structures
First of all about membranes. These building constructions do have the smallest dead
load in comparison with the span. Around the 1 kg/m 2. They are building constructions
and frames in themselves. Their specialty is that in the surface there is only tension,
no bending, no compressive forces and no trimming.
We can see the main typical detaillings of the structure on this tent.
1. Anchorages
2. Stiff edges
3. Flexible edges
4. Corner details
5. High-points
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Down here we can see the main types of the membranes based on how we produce
the tensioned forces which are responsible for the stability of the constructions. In the
first cell you can see the category of the tensioned structures. We tension all the edge
fittings, plates and constructions around and in the membrane. In the middle you see
the category of pneumatic membranes. The surface is loaded with inner atmospheric
pressure. At the last cell there is a group of holders and sacs. The inner pressure here
is ensured by water, stored materials or other fluids. We are going to run on the first
category.
Tensioned surfaces
Pneumatic structures One-layer tents
Pneumatic tubes
Pillows
Tensegrity
structures
Holders, sacks
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At next we can the main geometric typologies of the tensile surface structures it is
getting clear, how much possible spots are there of detaillings discussed later. The
architecture of this type of structure is getting always developed, this is only an insight.
Most generic symmetrical

membrane, supported with an
inner mast - high pointed
membrane.
membrane over a poligon,
supported with an inner mast -
membrane, supported with an
inner mast.
Generic, high pointed

structure with multiple mast
support, with flexible edges.
Membrane supported from

outside , with flexible and stiff
edges.
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Structure tensiled on an arch,

combined with flexible edges.
Combined geometry with

sruface tensiled on arch, with
flexible and stiff linear edges.
Membrane tensiled over an

ellipsis on an arch, combined
with stiff edges. Hard to erect.

ellipsis on an arch, combined
with flexible edges.

ellipsis on two arches,
combined with flexible edges
and stiff corners.
Hyperbolic paraboloid
membrane tensiled by the
cornerings. It is used quite
commonly, often at smaller
constructions.
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III. Constructional elements
Technical membrane
KEder cord
Wire rope
Webbing
First of all: technical membranes. We transfer forces in them. They have the goal to
share spaces and bear loads. Their first group is the group of the solid films, often
made of PVC, which have proportional less strenght and are often transparent. In the
other group you can see the coated fabrics, that have UV protection. There is a
perpendicular system of strands, and this fabric is coated with different materials, like
PVC. Technical materials do have their own literature.
The keder cords are linear load-bearing elements - this is practically a plastic, or rarely
metal rope with the diameter of circa 1 centimeter. This cord-shaped element ensures
a linear surface to the clamping plates and other tensioning elements to hold the
membrane at its proper place. It is mostly welded on the membrane.
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Wire ropes are also linear load-bearing elements. They mostly transfer great forces of
the building. They have a different elongation from that of the surfaces, which can be
an important problem at complex detaillings, as we will see it later. They also have an
own literature. The fittings, forces are transferred with, are going to be important at the
corners.
III-1. bra
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Webbings are also linear load-bearing elements.They are available to strenghten the
membrane at the edges. They are also available to collect forces, as we ill see it later.
They can be glued, welded or seamed on the surface. They have to be placed on the
UV-protected side of the surface or do have to be coated with a slice of membrane.
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IV. Statics of tensioned surface structures
The stresses, the forces occring here could serve as the subject of a phd thesis, my
point here was the engineering collection, but will touch the main force-systems too.
The typical of the tensioned surface structures is that in every point of the surface
there are two different stress-systems present. First the so called meridian force-
system, which connects the mast and the anchorage in the case of this membrane and
does not allow the construction to lift. The other stress-system is the ring-system,
which connects the horizontal stress-components of the neighboring elements. We
can see, that without these stresses the awning would elongate in the meridian
direction and would split. These two systems are always there in every point, but this
changes in the corner: the ring-stresses are hitting the wire ropes and the meridian
forces are having another angle to the ropes than ninety degree.
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pR
gy
t
The fact, that we can balance stresses with pulling forces at the endings of the curved
ropes, bases on the formula of Mariotte. This expresses, how a tube loaded with inner
pressure can stay balanced.
pR
m
2t
With developing this formula you can explain the membrane stresses in the surface
even in three-dimensional cases.
( a bq P)
Q q b
b r
Q 2 g (sin( / 2))
2 g (sin( / 2))
r q

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If the piece of the surface is infinite small, is kicsi is also getting infinite small
sin( ) ,
g
q
r
N 2 2 a1
N1 1 a2
N1 N 2
P ,
R1 R 2
The goal at these type of structures is to ensure stability without the loads, however at
these formulas we can understand the statical behaviour of the surface.
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On the left side you can see the meridian-force-system alone. When we split it into
components, we can see a force-system paralell to the axis of the rope, which tries to
pull up the membrane from the corner, so it would split in the middle. And we can see
the other stress system perpendicular to the axis, which tries to pull the membrane
together and causing creases and excess in the surface. Important is, that according
to the Mariotte formula, the forces perpendicular to the rope can be supported in the
form of pulling forces. The paralell forces must be supported with other fittings. Even a
small skin friction is working here, but we can not base the designing on it.
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The ring-stresses can be also split into components, with a similar behavior - they
must be also anchoraged.
Important is, that these forces are always present, so to a proper positioning of a
corner we need to handle these forces at the same time. Our goal is not to allow the
membrane to split or to allow creasess to evolve.
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V. Simple connections
In this section I collected the simple connections. One of their most important
characteristic is that they are economically developed. These solutions are used at
smaller constructions, where there are no greater forces to transfer, like at the case of
smaller awnings, roofs in gardens, etc. In the most cases there is only a webbing
glued, seamed or welded on a membrane, which is transfering the paralell and the
perpendicular forces to the anchorages. The disadvantage of these solutions is, that
they can easily fold, and that there is no possibility of more precise installation.
Foldings can be reduced by adjusting the anchorage systems.
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Simple connections 1-2. solutions
At the first solution the membrane is not clamped to anywhere. This can only work
properly, when the angle of the wire rope is close to 180 degrees. If not, the
membrane would be pulled up from the corner. At the second solution there is a ring
which does not allow the membrane to be pulled up.
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Simple connections 3. solution
At the drawned solution we can see three webbings welded on a membrane to

strengthen the membrane at the corner. The solution you can see in the middle of
the pictures, does have got webbings along the edge continuously, this is why it is
more aestethic and does not have bigger foldings in the surface.
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Simple connections 4-5. solutions
We can see this solution on simple The difference here is that you can see
shading awnings in gardens. The a webbing welded on a membrane
membrane is simply clipped with a along the load-bearing wire rope.
ring.
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At this solution you can see three webbings on the surface connected to a force-
transfering ring-element. The difference of the anchoraging bolts can be properly
installed. This solution can be for example connected to a reinforced concrete
construction.
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The functioning of the corner is similar to the first solution shown in this section. The
forces perepndicular to the wire rope are not collected, this detailling only works
properly by smaller forces and at the case of an angle close to 180 degrees. It is
interesting in a way that it shows you that an anchoraging column can greet multiple
clamping plates in three dimenions.
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VI. Solutions with webbings
At the solutions collected in this section there are webbings used to transfer paralell
forces to the anchorages. The webbing transfers the paralell forces, the wire rope
collects the perpendicular forces. The membrane mostly does not reach the corner
fitting. There are examples collected here to introduce how the metal plate can solve
the problems of the corners. There is no possiblity at the most solutions to change the
lenght of the webbing. The webbing has got the second function to block the foldings
to come up along the edge.
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Solutions with webbings - Detail 1.
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Solutions with webbings - Detail 5-6.
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Solutions with webbings - Detail 7
Hosszmetszet
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VII. Solutions with metal plates
These are the most commonly used solutions. The main point here is the metal plate,
which collects the forces and transfers them to the anchorages. The plate is able to
greet the wire ropes with a socket and to collect the forces perepndicular to the rope,
and it is available to collect the paralell forces - it has a proper space for the
membrane to clamp it on.
At too great forces the membrane can be split up at the clamping plates: there are
great forces foceused here and the surface is weakened here by the clamping bolts.
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Solutions with metal plates - Detail 1.
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VIII. Solutions with membranes kept away from the corner
At these solutions the collected forces are transferred to the anchorages by a metal
plate again. The reason why these detaillings are discussed separate, is that the
membrane is not fixed on the metal plate.
At the first solution we coat the membrane around a metal plate. At a proper spot we
make a cut in the surface and we fix this metal plate to the central plate with adjustable
bolts.
At the second and third solutions we will see that keder cords can be useful even here.
With clamping metal plates we can keep the membrane away from the corner with a
distance that can be adjusted with bolts.
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Solutions with membranes kept away from the corner - 1. solution
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IX. Solutions with continuous ropes
The next category of the collected detailings is the group of solutions with continuous
ropes.
The significant problem here is the same. We have to design a fitting that is available
to connect the forces paralell and perpendicular to the axis.
Here we can see three type of ways how we can collect the forces.
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Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 1.
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Hosszmetszet
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X. Solutions connected to flexible edging
The next category is the group of solutions where the corner is connected to flexible
edging. The forces to transfer are quite great here, the different elongation of the
membrane and the rope can not be ignored here. The force collected in the rope
would cause creases in the membrane, when the membrane would only be wrapped
on the wire rope. That's why we make the wire rope run in sleeves along the edge.
The flexible edges do have their own solutions, we can see here the typical section ot
the mostly used detailling.
There is a keder cord welded to the membrane, and so the membrane is properly
ensured against sliding out of the plates, which are clamped here along the edge. With
sheet metal loops we hang the array of the clampings on the load-bearing wire rope.
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Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 1.
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Hosszmetszet
Fggeszt szerelvny metszete
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Fggeszt
szerelvny metszete
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XI. Solution with two layers
At last we can see a solution with two layers. There can be a need of producing a
tensile surface structure because of different reasons.
You may want to build a membrane where the lower layer is connected to an inner stiff
edge, for example to a wall made of reinforced concrete.
Even the ventillation between the two layers can have an advantageous affect on the
thermostatic behavior of the construction.
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Solution with two layers - Detail of the upper layer
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Solution with two layers - Detail of the lower layer
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XII. Sources
Michael Seidel:
Tensile Surface Structures:
A practical guide to cable and membrane construction
(Ernst & Sohn Verlag fr Architektur und technische Wissenschaften GmbH & Co. HG
Berlin, Germany - 2009)
Kollr Lajos:
Ponyvaszerkezetek
(Mszaki Knyvkiad, Budapest, 1987)
Kollr Lajos:
Ponyvaszerkezetek Tervezsi Segdlet
Statika (VM megbzsbl, Tervezsi s Technikai ptszeti Intzet 1988)
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XIII. Collection of Hungarian terms
llthat csavar Adjustable bolt

Csavar Bolt
Csomlemez Metal plate
Ellenmenetes csavar Screw-bolt
Fa gerenda htszerkezet Wooden beam construction
Fm csiga Metal pulley
Fm csomlemez Metal plate
Fesztelem Tensioning element
Fesztszerelvny Tensioning fitting
Foglalat Socket
Fggesztfl Hanging element - sheet metal loop
Fl Loop
Hajtcsavar Bolt
Htszerkezet Anchorage
Heveder Webbing
Hosszmetszet Longitudinal section
Kder Keder (cord)
Kengyel Stirrup
Ktl Wire rope
Ktlhvely Socket of the wire rope
Membrn Membrane / Surface
Merev rgzts Stiff clamping
Metszet (A-A metszet) Section (A-A Section)
Nzet View
Oszlop Column
Ponyva Membrane / Surface
Rgzts a htszerkezethez Fixing to the anchorage
Rgztelem Clamping/fixing element
Rgztlemez Clamping/fixing plate
Szortlapka Clamping sheet
Szortlemez Clamping plate
Visszahajltott ponyva Membrane bolt back
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Student Research Project

Membrane constructions - solutions for corner

Student Research Project 2011-2012

Scientific research (Student Research Project) performed as part of my extra-

II. Main details of the membrane structures

Pneumatic structures One-layer tents

Most generic symmetrical

Generic, high pointed

Membrane supported from

Structure tensiled on an arch,

Combined geometry with

Membrane tensiled over an

Membrane tensiled over an

Membrane tensiled over an

III. Constructional elements

IV. Statics of tensioned surface structures

Simple connections 1-2. solutions

Simple connections 3. solution

At the drawned solution we can see three webbings welded on a membrane to

Simple connections 4-5. solutions

Simple connections 6. solution

Simple connections 7. solution

VI. Solutions with webbings

Solutions with webbings - Detail 1.

Solutions with webbings - Detail 2.

Solutions with webbings - Detail 3.

Solutions with webbings - Detail 4.

Solutions with webbings - Detail 5-6.

Solutions with webbings - Detail 7

VII. Solutions with metal plates

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 1.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 2.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 3.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 4.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 5.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 6.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 7.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 8.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 9.

Solutions with metal plates - Detail 10.

VIII. Solutions with membranes kept away from the corner

Solutions with membranes kept away from the corner - 1. solution

Solutions with membranes kept away from the corner - 2. solution

IX. Solutions with continuous ropes

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 1.

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 2.

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 3.

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 4.

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 5.

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 6.

Solutions with continuous ropes - Detail 7.

X. Solutions connected to flexible edging

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 1.

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 2.

Fggeszt szerelvny metszete

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 3.

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 4.

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 5.

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 6.

Solutions connected to flexible edging - Detail 7.

XI. Solution with two layers

Solution with two layers - Detail of the upper layer

Solution with two layers - Detail of the lower layer