In all type of structures, but mainly in lightweight construction, we can apply the concept of redundancy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redundancy_(engineering)]. Redundancy is the duplication of critical components or functions of a system with the intention of increasing reliability of the system, usually in the form of simple duplicity or by adding some components that will be useful only…
The WinTess software checks if a structure properly supports the loads applied using the “Ratio” concept. The ratio is a numerical value indicating how close we are or exceed load carrying capacity considering the safety factor of any part of the structure. The value “1” is the maximum limit. If we exceed this value, we…
Patterning is one of the basic tasks of designing tensile membrane structures. It is also one of three modules of WinTess software shown in top bar. The usual way to transform a warped curved surface in flat strips (patterns) is doing by triangulation. It is the easiest and most used way. In another post in…
The most common method of creating patterns on a membrane involves drawing geodesic lines on the membrane. Justification of the layout of the geodesic lines is beyond the scope of this text. Although the geodesic lines can be drawn freely to form patterns of any shape and position, it is common that the route of…
Preamble WinTess is designed to be used anywhere in the world. Each country has its own standard of construction, therefore, unless all these rules are introduced into the program, it is impossible to meet each user’s own standards. In this sense WinTess facilitates the possibility to manually modify the calculation of wind actions in order…
Tensioned membrane surfaces need a perimeter capable of counteracting the tension of the membrane. To do this, you can opt for different possibilities: A fixed edge. Membrane stresses go to another structure: a building, soil,… A hard edge. The membrane stresses are transferred to a component that can support them. The most common one is…
It is well known that a structure without any fixed point can not be analyzed. It would be as if floating in a state of weightlessness. Any load that we apply to the structure will move the structure. If the load is constant, it will speed up as per the known equation F = m…
The common way of patterning of a tensile membrane is to break down to triangles which are always flat (see the below figure). This series of adjacent triangles is called as pattern. It is obvious that the triangles are defined by the sides, and these are straight segments while the membrane surface is curved (almost…
One of the forms of pretensioning a membrane is to overpressure of the interior air. When a membrane is subjected to an air pressure has a certain curvature, this pressure causes the membrane a stress that is proportional to the curvature. So, if it’s a membrane of cylindrical shape, with a certain radius of curvature…
