MAST SUPPORTED TENSILE FABRIC

STRUCTURE
BY:
M. AJITH PERUMAL
S. NAVANEETHA
S. SHANMUGHA PRIYA
 INTRODUCTION
 Mast-supported structures are membranes of one or multiple peaks supported by interior and perimeter
masts or adjacent buildings.

 They most resemble a tent in form and use the least amount of structural material to construct. A bale
ring, cable loop or top plate connects the fabric to the interior masts, while perimeter masts support the
fabric by means of membrane plates.

 These perimeter masts are either designed as moment connections or with tie-downs.

 Some mast-supported structures do not have perimeter masts but rely on outriggers or structural
members that cantilever off central masts, much like an umbrella.
TENSILE STRUCTURE DETAILS
 PROPERTIES
 The peaks of a mast supported structure can vary in shape and size depending on the overall design, method
of attachment and structure under load.

 They tend to have round, oval or elliptical openings which are covered or left open

 In addition, as a precaution, safety cables are installed above the membrane from mast to mast and to the
ground so that in the event the membrane fails, the mast will stay erected.

 The masts must support both axial loading and lateral wind and dead loads (for angled masts).

 To resist buckling, which the masts are highly susceptible as a result of the axial forces increasing

 A mast support structure the moment stresses, the masts are constructed in lattices.

 Care must be taken through construction and materials to ensure that excess friction does not impede this
action.

 Testing of full scale modules can also be used to confirm the safety of such structure.
 APPLICATION
 LONG SPAN STRUCTURE

 ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS

 LONG EXHIBITION SPACES  ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS

Ashford designer outlet khan satyr entertainment centre

 APPLICATION
 OPEN PAVILION STRUCTURES/ GAZEBO

 PUBLIC GATHERING SPACES

 PARKING AREAS  AIRPORTS AND TRAIN STATION

Denver international airport

CASE STUDY
KHAN SHATYR ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
 INTRODUCTION
 Khan Shatyr translates as 'THE TENT OF THE KHAN'. - The world’s tallest tensile structure
-Major new civic, cultural and social venue
 Architect: FOSTER + PARTNERS

 Location: Kazakhstan

 Completion: 2010

 Height: 150 m
At the northern end of the new city axis from an elliptical
base to form the highest peak on the Astana skyline. 

 Area: 100,000 square meter

 Dome: ETFE dome 

 Base: 200 x 195-metre elliptical base

 WHY ETFE ?
• The 19,000 sq m transparent roof of the Entertainment Centre comprises ETFE (Ethylene tetra
fluoroethylene) cushions supported on a cable net structure.

• The centre is designed to withstand the region’s brutal winter and hot summer and therefore covered with
translucent ETFE. Temperature in Astana can drop to -35 degrees Celsius in winter and climb as high as +35
degrees in summer.

• The three-layer ETFE envelope is designed to shelter the enclosed accommodation from weather extremes
and to allow daylight to wash the interiors.

• In winter, a key challenge is to prevent the formation of ice on the inside of the envelope.
• This is achieved by a combination of temperature control and directing warm air currents up the inner surface
of the fabric, a strategy that also prevents downdraughts.

• In summer, fritting on the outermost foil layer provides solar shading. Inside, low-level jets direct cool air
across the space, while opening vents at the apex induce stack-effect ventilation.
• ETFE does not pose any threat to the ozone layer.
 SPACES
• The building is primarily a shopping center. Two levels of retail are built as two rings around the conical
building perimeter with a concourse separating them. Above the retail deck, there are eating areas, a cinema, a
golf course and at the top of the building sits beach areas with golden sand and pools.

• Through the inner ring, towards the center of the building there is a large multi-purpose circulation space where
the 90m-high steel tripod sits.
• The internal swimming pool is also clad in a
secondary ETFE space to avoid condensation on the
main tent and to create a warm environment year
round.
 CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
• Each tripod leg is formed from a three chord truss with 1000mm
diameter circular hollow main sections, the back leg resists 140MN
while each front leg resists 50MN.

• The tubular-steel tripod structure supports a suspended net of steel

radial and circumferential cables, which is clad with a three-layer
ETFE envelope.

• Formed as 3.5 x 30-metre cushions - a very light, economical and

thermally efficient solution.

• The main façade has been cladded by M50 Curtain wall system and
the M11000 Hinged system was applied for thermally insulated
windows.
• Also all the internal shop fronts of Khan Shatyr entertainment
Center are handed over by the hinged system M15000.

• Around the 20m ring at top the tripod are fixed 192 cables. To
these cables the ETFE tent element is fixed and draped.
 CLIMATE RESPONSIVE
• The translucent material allows daylight to wash the
interiors while sheltering them from weather extremes.

• Specific enclosures within the envelope are air conditioned,

but the open circulation areas are environmentally
tempered, with target temperatures of +14 degrees Celsius
in winter and +29 degrees in summer.

• Low-level jets direct cool air across the space, while vents at
the apex induce natural stack-effect ventilation.

• The challenge in winter is to prevent ice forming on the

inside of the envelope.

• This is achieved by a combination of temperature control and TRANSLUCENT ETFE

directing warm air currents up the inner fabric surface, a COVERING
strategy that also prevents downdraughts.
 INTERNAL
SWIMMING POOL IS
ALSO CLAD IN A
SECONDARY ETFE

MULTI-PURPOSE
CIRCULATION SPACE

TOP FLOOR
 ADVANTAGES OF MAST TENSILE
STRUCTURES
FABRIC ARCHITECTURE ADVANTAGE:
• Unique designs • Low-maintenance
• Clear-span design • Foundation options
• Allow natural light for lower operating costs • High strength weight ratio
• Ventilation • Support sustainability
• Easily relocated (portable) • Longer life cycle of materials
• Quick to install • Easy to transport
• Lower project cost
 ADVANTAGES OF MAST TENSILE
STRUCTURES
COSTS POINT OF VIEW
FABRIC STRUCTURES OFFER MANY COST ADVANTAGES:
• Low material costs
• Less materials required to cover a given space
• Lower replacement
• Require much shorter installation times
• Requiring less labor and materials
• Energy savings (specialized textiles association of Australia 2013)
 DIS-ADVANTAGES OF MAST
TENSILE STRUCTURES
FABRIC ARCHITECTURE DISADVANTAGE:
• Little to no rigidity
• Affected badly by friction and UV rays
• Large foundations are often required in order to prevent the wind
lifting the canopy and taking it away.
• However, in terms of cost, foundations are a lot easier and
cheaper to prepare than visible, above ground constructions that
are exposed to weather and damage.
DIS-ADVANTAGES OF MAST TENSILE
STRUCTURES
• Where the fabric structure, is very small the tensile canopy may not offer the best
solution in terms of cost.
• It would still require that all connections are engineered and checked, it would still
require for patterning to be carried out.
• The steel fabricator would still need to fabricate awkward angles and special
corner plates, so the overall cost per square meter could be much higher than if a
fixed structure was used instead.
• Essentially, fabric structures offer great economies of scale – small structures can
cost three or four times more per square meter than larger structures.
DIS-ADVANTAGES OF MAST TENSILE
STRUCTURES

• While this is true to a degree with all construction types, we believe the effect is much more
extreme with tensile structures.
• Need sound design and engineering as building can't stand up for long time if the connections
and the used panels materials are not good
• In addition some designs are not good because the hardness of making connections well also
additional loads from snow or wind, affect the structure.
 FABRIC MEMBRANE
PROPERTIES
FABRIC MEMBRANE ADVANTAGES
Organic cotton fiber Have a high ultraviolet UV
resistance.
Polyesters
Strength, cost durability, and
stretch.
Polymer polyamide (nylon fibers)
Compared to other polymer fibers,
the strength, stiffness and tenacity
are high.
Polymer polyethylene
• Low self-weight and are able to
float in water.
• It is a thermoplastic material.
• It can be recycled well.
DISADVANTAGES
Subject to fungi and moisture.
The mechanical properties decrease
with UV light, and it is subject to
ageing.
When the fiber gets wet, it swells in
length.so it is difficult to control the
size of the panels. It also has poor
resistance to UV light.
• Has a low surface adhesion so it
is difficult to use the fibers in
coated applications.
• If it is treated with a special pre-
coating, it is possible.
Cont.
Nonorganic fiberglass
• Has brittle behavior and low
elastic strain.
Has high tensile strength. • The material needs to be
handled carefully and needs
very accurate manufacturing.
Fluor polymer Has high flexibility and bending The material has a tendency to
capacity, as well as the self-cleaning creep.
properties.
Polymer aramid
• Has high strength and low density.
• Good resistance to impact; lower
modulus grades. It degrade slowly when exposed to
• It offers good resistance to UV light.
abrasion and chemical and
thermal degradation.
Polymer • Tensile fractures
Vectra Has a very high strength and is not • Acquire dirt easily
sensible to creep. • Tends to cut in hook and loop
• UV resistance is low
THANK YOU