Self-Tensioning Spherical

Structures: Single and Double

Layer Spheroids
David Emmerich

37 Avenue de Breteuil, 75007 Paris, France

(Received 30th May, 1989; revised version received 2nd November 1989)

ABSTRACT: A self-tensioning framework is made up of bars and ties, where

the compression bars are isolated from each other, and the tension ties form a
continuous polyhedric network. Every regular and semiregular polyhedron can
be realised in such a manner, thus giving 'as many regular single layer
spheric structures.
Some basic self-tensioning simplexes can be connected together to form dou-
ble layer frameworks. Thus using the composite polyhedra as building patterns
larger spherical structures can be realised.
In all these configurations, compression members are "floating" in a con-
tinuous tensional network, all components being rigidly spread out and at the
same time united together under the effect of prestress, without the necessity of
anchorage or other forces external to the system - the same as in a self-
supporting structure - hence our term: self-tensioning.

Single and Double Layer Spheroids
Polyhedral patterns give the best possibilities to
build spherical structures by equal components,
with the advantage of repetitive, industrialised
methods. The so called geodesic dome starts also
from a polyhedron, the icosahedron, but the
further subdivision of the twenty spherical
triangles of this polyhedron leads to a more and
more unequal elements [7]. It is easier to use the
seventeen other convex polyhedra, many of which
have a greater number of faces at the outset, or in
the case of greater spans, composite polyhedra
having a double layer composition.
This basic but enlarged morphologic repertory
gives only geometric schemes. Among them some
are directly applicable as space frameworks, that
is to say made up of linear elements. However the
majority of the schemes have to be completed by
additional segmentation, giving the bracing
elements necessary for their stability, to obtain
finally a space structure composed in an
articulated manner. This is only possible on the
basis of a genuinely rigid constructive geometry
[4, 5].
Among these autostable or self-supporting
structures belonging to different morphological
classes, one can distinguish two main categories:
Indifferentiated structures; where the members
are subject to inversion of internal forces, thus
they are subjected alternatively either to com-
pression or tension and therefore every bar has
to be rigid. Most three dimensional space
frames built today belong to this category.
Differentiated structures; where the members
are permanently either compressed or stressed
by tension. Therefore only the compressed
members, subject to buckling, must be rigid, the

International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990 353


remammg elements can be realised by ten-
sional members, thus with a greater economy in
self weight.
This differentiated category itself can be
divided into three large classes:
Structures having a continuous rigid skeleton
stabilised by some discontinuous tension
elements or a group of tension elements..
Structures having continuous rigid frames
interlaced by a continuous system of tension
members.
Structures having discontinuous compression
components inserted in a continuous tension
net, known as self-tensioning, originally in
French "autotendant".
Fig. 1. Testing model of a self-tensioning tetrakaidekahedron.
354
SelfTensioning Spherical Structures
The last type of configurations are the most
economical, strongest or lightest, with the heavy
elements being reduced to a minimum, therefore
these structures composed principally of tension
elements are more interesting technically, avoid-
ing any secondary moments by the lack of contact
among rigid components and any necessity of
elaborate connectors as joints.
Many well known mostly mechanical struc-
tures belong to the self-tensioning type of struc-
tures: for instance the bicycle wheel, the umbrella,
some folding chairs are their primitive forms. In
the building science the existence of such
articulated static configurations were also known
and classified as "instantaneously rigid" network
systems, called in French literature "trellis criti-
International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990
D.G. Emmerich
ques ou surcritiques" with the understatement
that it is better not to use them in practice [8].
Whereas at the time of their discovery, the stati-
cal calculation of these configurations was pro-
blematic, this seems to have been resolved today.
However, the object ofthe present paper is limited
to their morphological study. Their mechanical
behaviour namely the degree of pre-stressing to
obtain an optimal stability, as well as their
economical advantages, will not be investigated
here. Nevertheless, the stability of every self-
stressing configuration was tested experimentally,
e.g. Fig. 1.
Characteristics of Self-Tensioning
Structures
The simple self-tensioning configurations par-
ticularly useful as easily associable building
blocks have an antiprismatic shape, the simplest
among them being the triangular antiprism, the
others having square, pentagonal, hexagonal, or
any convex polygonal bases (Fig. 2). These basic
simplexes invented by the author at the end of the
International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990
1950's, have since been subjected to numerous
investigations concerning their topological
aspects and the analysis of their mechanical
behaviour. Among others these questions are
developed, in cooperation with a research group
at Nantes [1, 2].
The first patent of industrial propriety for self-
tensioning structures was obtained by the author
in France, registered on June 27th 1959 under the
No 1,238,308. Two other patents followed in April
10th 1963; No 1,377,291 bearing the title
"Construction de Reseaux Autotendants" con-
cerns the building method of self-tensioning dou-
ble layer structures with straight or double curved
shapes, including domes and No 1,377,292 named
"Structure Lineaires Autotendantes" concerns the
construction of all kinds of oblong frames,
straight or curved, for the use of mast, beam, tower,
or bridge frameworks. Simultaneously on the
basis of similar depositions, the corresponding
patents were granted to the author in England
under the No 1,060,446; in Germany, No 1,484,173
named "Selbstspann Strukturen"; in Italy, No
719,403 named "Structure ad Autotensione",
Fig. 2. Antiprismatic. self-
tensioning simplexes with
triangular, square, pentagonal
and hexagonal bases.
355

Summarising the above mentioned documents:
in the case of all these items, a self-tensioning
structure is built by combining two or more sim-
plexes which are antiprismatic solids having
rotational symmetry with edges made up of struts
and ties, where the compression bars are isolated
from each other and the tension members form a
continuous polyhedric configuration. Two sim-
plexes are united by a common mesh which is a
polygon composed of ties: the base of the solids in
the case of superposition, the lateral face in the
case ofjuxtaposition. In an assembly the joints are
located on two or more levels. The bars are jointed
only by extremeties at the vertices of the solids
which receive in principle the extremity of a single
compression bar. All the members are extended,
at the same time held together under the effect of a
preconstraint produced by the internal stressing
of the components, thus without the necessity of
anchorage or buttresses, to transfer the stresses to
the exterior of the system, as in a self-supporting
structure. Hence the term "self-tensioning".
The construction method of self-tensioning
structures, their advantages and their difficulties,
their representation and analysis as well as their
usage being then highly contestable relative to the
state-of-the-art of that time, were presented by the
author during the First International Conference
on Space Structures, held in London, in 1965. The
exhibited models, posters, and the important and
largely illustrated paper was then the only con-
tribution dealing with such atypical structures.
Since the publication of the proceedings of the
Conference by Blackwell Scientific Publications
in 1966, it is frequently referred to in the
literature [3].
Today considered as the latest development in
structural research, self-tensioning structures
have become the "high-tech" of the building
science. Being the subject of many university and
doctorate theses in the last decade, actually the
abundance of the material about these systems
created the necessity to dedicate special issues of
engineering reviews to this matter. In brief what
aroused then scarcely an echo, now thirty years
later has become a challenge.
Practically, the morphology of self-tensioning
combinations are extremely variable. It is possible
to build almost everything in this way, from sim-
356
SelfTensioning Spherical Structures
pie dwelling units, large-span decks, vaults and
domes, to the most intricate space packings creat-
ing overall building skeletons [6]. However, the
subject of this study according to the theme ofthis
issue is limited essentially to the configurations
inscribed in one or two spherical surfaces.
Single Layer Spherical Structures
The overall scheme of the peripheral tension ties
is derived from the regular and semiregular
polyhedra whose vertices can be inscribed into a
sphere. In these flexible networks there are inser-
ted a number of compression members without
any contact among them. The presence of several
simplexes here is less evident, the total number of
components being necessary for the rigidity of the
solid. However, their existence is recognisable
around the triangular, square and pentagonal
meshes. In the majority of cases every compres-
sion bar belong to two neighbouring subsets
which are interlaced instead of being simply jux-
taposed. Here the basic antiprismatic simplexes
are deformed in a truncated antipyramidal
shape.
Among the five Platonic polyhedra, the tet-
rahedron is unrealisable, the octahedron and the
cube being variants of the triangular and square
simplexes. The remaining two Platonic, the thir-
teen Archimedian polyhedra, and the two so
called psuedo solids make altogether seventeen
regular solids which are all constructable as self-
tensioning compositions.
In some cases the basic geometric con-
figurations has a slight rotational deformation in
the obtained structures which can be corrected by
some additional tension members, situated on the
cords of the polygonal faces. These configurations
have the minimal number oftension members. Of
course, additional connections can be added.
In the case of the cubocta-, psudo cubocta-,
dodeca-, and icosidodecahedron, where the sim-
plexes are simply juxtaposed, the obtained solids
are anisotropic, having a unique rotational axis.
Some solids are racemic i.e. self-enantio-
morphous, all others being monogyratory struc-
tures thus existing in two enantiomorphic forms:
levogyre and dextrogyre.
International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990
D.G. Emmerich

Table 1. Self-Tensioning Polyhedra

Number of
N° Name Code
Vertices Ties Struts MOnOgyrJRaCemiJAnisotrop

Platonics:
1 icosahedron 33333 12 24 6
•
2 dodecahedron 555 20 3.0 10 • •
Archimedians:
J snub cube J J J J4 24 60 12 •
4
5
pseudo snub cube
cuboctahedron
J JJJ4
34 34
24
12
48
18
12
6
• • •
6 pseudo cuboctahedron 33 4 4 3434 12 18 6
• •
7 rhombicuboctahedron :l4 4 4 24 48 12 •
R snub dodecahedron J)J J5 60 90 30
•
9 small rhombicosidodecahedron 3454 60 1 20 30
•
10
11
12
icosidodecahedron
truncated tetrahedron
tetracaidecahedron
3535
366
46 6
30
12
24
60
18
36
15
6
12
.•
•
•
truncated icosahedron
13
grd rhombicuboctahedron
566 60 90 30
•
14
truncated cube
468 48 72 24
•
15
grd rhombicosidodecahedron
38 8 24 36 12
•
16
truncated dodecahedron
461 0 1 20 180 60
•
17 31010 60 90 30
•

Fig. 3.Th e most regular self-tensioning space packing with perp endi cu la r co mpressi on bars inserted in a tetraikaidecah ed-
ral ten sion system. Large sca le model realised by the Ecole d'Arch itecture Paris La Villette, E.A.P.L.V. and pre sen ted in
War saw at the congress of Union Internationale des Architectes, U.I.A. in 1981.

International Journal of Sp ace Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990 357

 SelfTensioning Spherical Structures

10

PLATE 1. Self-tensioning polyhedra

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D.G. Emmerich

PLATE 1. co nti nu ed

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5 Nos. 3&4 1990
 Self- Tensioning Spherical Structures

PLATE 2

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D.G. Emmerich

13

PLATE 2. co nti nu ed

International Journal of
Space Structures Vol. 5 361
Nos. 3&4 1990
 5;"if-I<'l1sitllilng Spherical Structures

362 International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990

D.G. Emmerich

Fig. S. The loosest self-tensioning space packing structure. having the maximal empty volume for a minimal built body.
realised in large scal e on the basis of truncated tetrahedron. at the Technion of Haifa. in 1986.

Fig. 6. Deck-like planar double layer space frame. composed from interlaced quadratic self-tensioning simplexes having
as a basic pattern an a utomorphic tessellation.

International Journal of Spa ce Stru ctures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990 363
 SelfTensioning Spherical Structures

The characteristics of these self-tensioning
single layer polyhedra are recapitulated in Table I
and their axonometric figures and photographs
are shown on Plates I & 2. Beside its name, a con-
figuration is designated also by its code, or
Schlafli Symbol, giving the number of sides of
each face surrounding each vertex of the basic
polyhedron.
Henceforth these volumes can be considered as
building units in a higher level assembly, being
connected together to form a so called space pack-
ing, creating a kind of crystallographic lattice.
Such structures, particularly adaptable as overall
building skeletons, give the possibility to develop
flexible techniques in architecture and town-
planning. Without entering into the details, we
mention herethe most regular system where the
compression bars follow the cubic configuration
with tensional members having a tet-
rakaidecahedral shape. This structure built in
large scale was exhibited during the congress of
the Union of International Architects - u.I.A. -
held in 1981 in Warsaw (FigsJ and 4). Another
large scale example was made by the participants
of a seminar organised in 1986at the Technion of
Haifa, where the lightest loose-packing - partially
empty sponge-like space arrangement - was
realised on the basis of truncated tetrahedral sim-
plex (Fig. 5).
Double Layer Spherical Structures
By the manipulation of the length of tension
members, one can curve any flat, double layer self-
tensioning deck-like structure. The obtained cur-
vature can be simple or double, synclastic or even
an antic1astic one. This operation however
introduces a certain degree of dimensional in-
equality among the components.
The simplest transformation consists of arching
Table 2. Self-Tensioning Hyperpolyhedra
a sheet of space frame having quadratic meshes
into a cylindrical shape by the elongation of
transversal ties corresponding to the exterior of
the vault. As it is shown in Figs. 6 & 7, the shape of
the curve can be cylindrical as well as parabolic.
In creating a double layer framework having a
spherical shape, and at the same time keeping the
equal member lengths, it is better to start by using
a corrugated polyhedra, i.e. by a solid belonging to
one of the three classes of "composite polyhedra",
the corrugated one, as is explained in another
paper by the author in the present issue. These
corrugations or lobes, having the shape of a trun- .
cated pyramid, can be realised by the deformed
variants of the three elementary self-tensioning
patterns, or simplexes, whose application by jux-
taposition on the faces of a basic polyhedron pro-
duce a spherical double layer structure, called
self-tensioning hyperpolyhedron.
The application of the triangular, square, or
pentagonal bases of a simplex on the faces of a
selected polyhedron, composed continuously by
hexa, octa-, or decagonal polygons, creates a
rotational rearrangement of the basic solid. The
position of the subsets relative to the envelope of
the basic polyhedron can be either levogyre or
dextrogyre. This rotation is not to be confused
with the constitutional internal rotation of each
simplex, which is of a different nature.
Actually L:~e simplex having a certain sense of
rotation can be applied on a support with either
an identical or opposite rotation. Thus in the case
of a hyperpolyhedron composed of one kind of
simplex there exist two allomorph solutions, and
in the case of two kinds of simplexes we have four
allomorphic configurations. Thus originally
derived from seven semi-regular solids, the num-
ber of self-tensioning hyperpolyhedra can be
established as eighteen.

Number of simplex Number of elements Corrugated polyhedra Numherof

N· Hyper. Derived from allomorphs
38 4B 5B Struts Ties Nodes .. 0

1 truncated tetrahedron 366 4 12 42 24 1 2 ~

2
3
4
te I rakaidccahedron
truncated icosahedron
truncated cube
466
566
300
0
20'
6
24
60
24
04
150
84
4b
120
40
3
5
15
6
16
• 2
2
2
5 truncated dodecahedron 31010 12 60 210 120 30 31 2
6 grd rhornhicubocta 460 8 6 40 160 96 11 12 13 14 4
7 grd rhornbiccsidodecahedron 4610 20 12 120 300 240 23 24 25 26 4

364 International Journal oj Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990

365
 Self-Tensioning Spherical Stru ctures

366 International Journal of Spa ce Stru ctures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990
 D.G. Emmerich

,1 HYPER-TRUNCATED TETRAHEDRON

-- »->
-- ----..--
..-----
~------:;::>J;-::-

---- --

CPl

.--~-

·l;';':t'~·'. ':-~~
..•.. .•,':"
'l;.~'
=-.::.'.~".-.:.;.;.~. :'.-,
•."...: : .•.
_."

CP2

PLATE 3

International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990 367

 Self-Tensioning Spherical Structures

HYPER-TET~DECAHEDRON

...... - -
.-'--'-
.- .-

CP3

CP4
PLATE 4

368 International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990

D.G. Emmerich

it HYPER-TRUNCATED ICOSAHEDRON

PLATE 5

International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990 369

 Self- Tensioning Spherical Structures

HYPER-TRUNCATED CUBE

.......

»>:
.- .............. .......
.-
-- »>» >
.......
.......

CP15

+,' ... (:1 '

".< •..
'0<,:;.. ...
CP16
PLATE 6

370 International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&4 1990

D.G. Emmerich

,.
,) HYPER-TRUNCATED DODECAHEDRON
. -- --

------ --
-- -- --

CP32

PLATE 7

International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990 371

 Setf-Lenstoning Spnencat Structures

(; HYPER-GRD RHOMBICUBOCTA

CPU CP12

CP13 CP14

PLATE 8

372 International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990

D.G. Emmerich

'1 HYPER:-GRD RHOMBICOSIDODECAHEDRON

.;1(;·1C.+~U.;;i;",';; +1~.;););)4

eP2S

PLATE 9

International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990 373


The characteristics of these structures can be
found in Table 2. Plates 3-9 show beside their
photographs, the method of composition of each
hyperpolyhedron by an exploded view with the
supporting polyhedron and the self-tensioning
simplex, as well as the schematic views of the cor-
rugated polyhedra, constituting the external
envelope of the obtained structures, The vertices
situated on the circumsphere can be interconnec-
ted to produce, finally, a double layer spherical
network. The eighteen corrugated polyhedra, CP,
are designated by their numbers correlated with
the plates.
These configurations have a relatively large
structural height. To obtain a shallower convex
framework, or dome, one should replace each
simplex by a planar or curved, self-tensioning,
double layer structure; very similar to the formerly
studied "Isotropic Domes", as is shown in the
paper on composite polyhedra. This method
allows the construction of domes with very large
spans; up to several hundreds of metres (Fig.
18).
REFERENCES
1. CHOMARAT, A, SAVEL, J., SOULARD, JA, For-
mulation d'une methode iterative applicable au calcul
des structures surcritiques. Revue Francaise de Mecani-
que No 77-78 1981.
374
Self-Tensioning Spherical Structures
2. CHASSAGNOUX, A, CHOMARAT, A, SAVEL, 1.,
Morphologie et applications des structures autoten-
dantes. CERMA, EA Nantes, 1983.
3. EMMERICH, D.G., "Reseaux" First Int. Con! on Space
Structures, Blackwell, London 1965.
4. EMMERICH, D.G., Cours de Geometric Constructive,
ENSBA Paris 1967, Washington Univ. Press, Seattle,
1970.
5. EMMERICH, D.G., Exercicesde Geometrie Constructive,
ENSBA 1970, EAPLV 1985.
6. EMMERICH, D.G., Structures Tendueset Autotendantes,
EAPLV Paris 1988.
7. FULLER, R.B., Synergetics, Macmillan, New-York
1975.
8. TARDIVEAU, J., SIESTRUNCK, R., ROY M. Efforts'
et deformations en treillis critiques et surcritiques...
C.R. Academie des Sciences, Paris, 1975.
PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS
Architecture d'Aujourd'hui. Paris
No 115/1964 141/1968 160/1972 224/1982.
Architectural Design. London
No 6/1965 8/19668/1967 1/19689/1970.
Techniques et Architecture. Paris
No 5/1963 1/19652/19665/1972 309/1976.
International Journal of Space Structures Vol. 5 Nos. 3&41990