Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

Johanneshovs Isstadion, Stockholm 1962

Architect: Paul Hedqvist
Engineer: David Jawerth (inventor)

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

KLM Cargo Terminal 1966

Haarlemmermeer, Holland
Architect: E. A. Riphagen
Engineer: David Jawerth

Palaise des Sports, 1966

Bordeaux, France

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

1,2 Open air theater, tigheim, Germany 1962

Architect: E. Heid
Engineer: David Jawerth
1tigheim section

2tigheim plan

Cable truss structures

Factory at Lesjers, Sweden

Architect: Lennart Bergstrm
Engineer: David Jawerth

Prof Schierle

Cable truss structures

Concave cable truss

Top strand support gravity load
Bottom stabilizing strands resist wind uplift
Tensile web strands

Convex truss, bottom strand support gravity load

Top strands resist wind uplift
Web compression struts

Concave/convex cable truss of reduced depth

Concave strands support gravity load
Convex strand support wind uplift
Compression struts at mid-span
Tension strands at both ends
Prof Schierle

Convex trusses with bottom support and top

stabilizing cables and web compression struts

Concave trusses with top supporting and bottom

stabilizing cables and web compression struts

Convex truss with diagonal compression struts

Convex truss with vertical compression struts

Concave truss with diagonal tension struts

Concave truss with vertical tension struts

Inverted truss with diagonal compression struts

Inverted truss with vertical compression struts

Center compression strut and radial tension struts

10 Center compression strut - vertical tension struts

11 Outward radial tension struts
12 Parallel cable truss - vertical compression struts
Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

Auditorium Utica, USA 1958

Architect: Gehron and Seltzer
Engineer: Lev Zetlin
Diameter/span: 240
A Circular concrete compression ring
B Top stabilizing cable, 1 5/8 strands
C Steel compression struts
D Bottom cable, 2 strands
E Steel tension ring

Convex alternate (roof drainage requires pumps)

A
B
C
D
E

Cable truss structures

Twin concrete compression ring - costly

Top support cable
Tension struts
Bottom stabilizing cable
Steel tension ring

Prof Schierle

Cable truss UC Berkeley

Prof. Schierle and students
Design model
Erection
Top view
Joint detail

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

Parallel chord truss

Load bearing of parallel chord trusses:

Cable truss structures

Loads P1 and P2 generate a vector polygon

Load P3 adds a second vector polygon

Wind uplift generates reversed polygons

Parallel chord cable truss with four bays

Load bearing polygon formed for two loads

Load bearing polygons for three loads

Externally stabilized truss with six bays

Internally stabilized truss with six bays

Prof Schierle

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

10

Pedestrian bridge Stuttgart

Engineer: Schlaich Bergermann
The height for trains passing under the bridge and
maximum slope for handicapped access required a
shallow span/sag of about 20.
Bridge deck of prefab concrete panels is supported by
2 55 mm strands, prestressed by a strand to reduce
deflection under non-uniform load.
Diagonal webs with strands form a prismatic truss.
The small height difference between supports is
ignored, since it has no significant effect on forces.
The code required 5 kPa live load was considered
unlikely (it would imply 7 people per m2).
Therefore, prestress was kept relatively low.
Assume:
Allowable cable stress 70 ksi /0.145
Fa = 483 MPa
(70 ksi/0.145 Mega Pascal = 1 million Pascal)

Length
sections
and plan DL = 1.6 kPa (33 psf)
LL = 5.0 kPa (104 psf)
Cross section = 6.6 kPa (137 psf)
Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

11

Uniform load per cable

w= 6.6 kPa x 3.3m/2
Global moment
M= wL2/8 = 10.9 x28.872/8
Horizontal reaction
H= M/f = 1136/1.45m
Vertical reaction
R= wL/2 =10.9 x28.87/2

w = 10.9 kN/m
M = 1136 kN-m
H = 783 kN
R = 157 kN

Cable force
T= (H2+R2)1/2 = (7832 + 1572)1/2
T = 799 kN
Metallic cable area (55mm, 70% metallic)
Am= 0.7 (55/2)2
Am=1663 mm2
Cable stress (f =T/Am)
f=799kN/(1663x10-6m2)= 480,457 kPa f = 481 MPa
Length Check allowable stress
sections
US units equivalent
and plan
481 MPa x 0.145
Cross section
Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

481 < 483

f = 69.7 ksi < 70 ksi
12

Intramural Sports Center, UC Berkeley

Architect: G G Schierle
Engineer: T Y Lin
Existing Harmon gym
New entry hall
Olympic pool
4 multipurpose gyms, 120x120
Lower level:
Handball courts
Squash courts
Gymnastics
Weight lifting
Cable truss:

Top and bottom chord strands

Twin diagonal strands

Vertical compression struts

Fixed-end supports cause negative global bending

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

13

Assume
Span L = 120, truss depth d = 10, truss spacing e = 20
Allowable cable stress (210 ksi/3)
Fa= 70 ksi
DL = 18 psf
LL = 12 psf
= 30 psf
Uniform truss load
w = 30 psf x 20/1000
w = 0.6 klf
Vertical reaction
R= wL/2 = 0.6 x 120/2
R = 36 k
Diagonal cable force (10% residual prestress)
T= 1.1 x 65k (from vector triangle)
T = 72 k
Cross section area (70% metallic)
A = T/(0.7 Fa) = 72/(0.7x70ksi)
A =1.47 in2
Cable size (twin strands)
= 2(A/)1/2/2 = (1.47/)1/2 = 0.68
Use 23/4
Global moment (fixed end)
M = 720 k
M = wL2/12 = 0.6 x 1202/12
Chord force (10% residual prestress)
T = 1.1 M/d = 1.1x720/10
T = 79 k
Cross section area (70% metallic)
A = T/(0.7 Fa) = 79/(0.7x70ksi)
A =1.61 in2
Cable size
= 2(A/)1/2 = 2(1.61/)1/2 = 1.43
Use 1
Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

14

Stadium Roof Oldenburg, Germany

Kulla, Herr und Partner, Oldenburg
Engineer: Schlaich Bergermann
The roof consists of 14 anticlastic fabric panels
suspended from cable trusses
PVC fabric, Fa = 600 pli/4
Cable Fa = Fy/3 = 210 ksi/3
Cantilever L = 17.8 m /0.3048
Panel length 17.8+5.4 = 23.2/0.3048
Panel width B = 9.25 m/0.3048
Gravity load
wind uplift
DL = 1 psf
-1 psf
LL = 20 psf
20 psf
= 21 psf
19 psf

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

Fa = 150 pli
Fa = 70 ksi
L ~ 58
L ~ 76
B ~ 30

15

Uniform gravity load

w = 21psfx30/1000
Global moment
M = w L2/2 = 0.63x582/2
Horizontal reaction
H = M /d = 1060/15

d=15

Cable truss structures

wL
L/2
w (uniform load)

Vertical reaction
R = w L = 0.63x58
Cable tension (10% residual prestress)
T = 1.1(H2+R2)1/2 = 1.1(712+372)1/2
Cable cross section area (70% metallic)
A = T /(0.7Fa) = 88/(0.7x70)
Cable size
= 2(A/)1/2 = 2(1.8/)1/2 = 1.5
Design fabric support ring
Wind uplift per panel
P = 76 x 30 x 19psf =
Ring length
L = P/Fa = 43,320/(150pli x 12)
Ring diameter
= L/ = 7.6
Double fabric at 8
Use ring size
Prof Schierle

w = 0.63 klf
M = 1060 k
H = 71 k
R = 37 k
T = 88 k
A = 1.8 in2
Use 1
P = 43,320 #
L = 24

= 4
16

Watts Towers Cultural Crescent

Architect: Joe Addo and G G Schierle
Engineer: ASI
A transparent membrane, suspended from radial
cable trusses, is designed to provide sun protection
for occasional performance at the Watts towers
The crescent-shaped roof follows the seating below
Cable trusses minimize bulk for optimal view of the
towers and fast erection at annual events
The truss depth is designed to provide the required
curvature for the anticlastic membrane panels

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

17

Cable truss details

1

Strut top

Fabric corner

A Top chord strand

B Diagonal strand
C fabric attachment
D Metal plate at fabric corner
E Edge cable
F Edge webbing

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

18

Bardwells Ferry Bridge Conway, MA, 60 m span, 1882

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardwell's_Ferry_Bridge
Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

19

Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, 2 x 110 m spans,1883

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

20

Pushkin Museum Moscow

Engineer: Vladimir Shukov, 1853-1939
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Shukhov

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

21

Bowstring truss bridges

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

22

Pratt cable truss bridge

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

23

Bottom chord tension strands

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

24

Pedestrian bridge Munich

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

25

Louvre Pyramide Paris, cable truss by I M Pei

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

26

Cable truss glass walls

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

27

Cable truss frameless glass walls with silicon joints

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

28

Cable supported glass walls with silicon joints

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

29

Cable trusses are fun

Cable truss structures

Prof Schierle

30