Flexible Lightweight Cable-Spring Support System for ETFE Cushions Spanning between Buildings
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 141, Issue 5
Abstract
A cable-spring truss system for supporting ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushions spanning between buildings to create atria is described. The truss system uses cables together with springs encased in telescoping tubes. The system is remarkably lightweight. The springs provide the system with flexibility to accommodate differential displacements of the supporting buildings under wind and seismic loading. Design equations are developed for the springs, tubes, and cables. A design example is investigated, and the flexibility is compared to that of an equivalent cable-strut support system.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 141 • Issue 5 • May 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 25, 2013
Accepted: Apr 11, 2014
Published online: Jul 21, 2014
Discussion open until: Dec 21, 2014
Published in print: May 1, 2015
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