Journal of Architectural Engineering

The very rapid increases in telecommunication and advancements in the field of communications technology have resulted in many different structures to support antennae. Exponential growth in cellular telephone networks has given rise to numerous new masts and towers spread all over the landscape, especially in large cities. Although everybody wants a mobile phone, nobody wants an antenna tower in their neighborhood. Recently, local authorities, nature conservancy organizations, etc., in Europe have set forward requirements to reduce the impact of new antenna masts and towers on the landscape. As a result, telecommunication companies are paying more attention and concern toward the aesthetic layout and design of new antenna supporting structures. In the future, we may have antenna supporting structures that do not look like masts and towers that are used today. This paper gives a brief history of antenna towers, an introduction to the problem, and a discussion on a new approach to design based on aesthetics. Examples and illustrations are presented showing new designs and innovative ideas.

The church of Holyrood Abbey, in Edinburgh, collapsed in 1768 after an inappropriate intervention in the nave vaults. This resulted in excessive lateral thrusts, which could not be contained by the existing buttressing systems, causing progressive instability of the lateral walls. This effect was studied on a lateral cross vault of the church. A replica in 1:4 scale was built and tested initially under service loads and subsequently until collapse due to movement of the two front abutments. Analysis of the model was carried out with the finite-element program ABAQUS. The resulting behavior demonstrated the significant load-bearing capacity of the structure under service conditions and its high sensitivity to imposed changes of the geometry. Although the tensile stresses exceeded the flexural strength at the vertices and the abutments, the collapse was dominated by the membrane tensile failure at the groins, hence both the geometry and condition of this area are critical for the safety of the vault. The results of this study can improve the assessment and thus help in the preservation of many important Gothic and neo-Gothic churches.