Single-Layer Corrugated-Steel-Sheet Hypars

Vertical loading tests were conducted on several hyperbolic paraboloid (hypar) roofs fabricated from single layers of corrugated steel sheets: (1) A 4-ft-sq shell with rectangular corrugations; (2) two 8-ft-sq shells with standard curved corrugations; (3) three adjustable-warp 18-in.-sq corrugated-steel-foil models; and (4) two full-size canopies, one 20-ft by 24-ft and the other 20-ft by 28-ft in plan, each canopy consisting of a single column supporting four hyperbolic paraboloid quadrants fabricated from standard curved corrugated steel sheets. The tests demonstrated that hyperbolic paraboloids fabricated from a single layer of standard curved corrugated steel sheets are structurally feasible, provided that adequate attention is given to certain design features. The superior local buckling resistance of curved corrugations appears to make them superior to sheets with rectangular corrugations for this application.