Tensile Fabric Structure

A. Introduction
Fabric structures are normally designed with sufficient curvature to enable environmental loads to be resisted as tensile forces in the plane of the fabric.
B. Common materials for fabric structures
i) PVC coated polyester: It is the least expensive and has a design life of 15 to 20 years due mainly to ultra violet attack. Transparency is around 6-13%. It is fir retarding.
ii) PTFE coated fabric glass: It has a higher tensile strength, but being glass it is slightly more brittle therefore it can be subject to more damage from repeated flexing. This fabric is not subject to ultra violet attack and as a result has a 25-30 year design life. Transparency is around 8-18%. PTFE is incombustible.
Details about two material may refer to http://www.buildnova.com/buildnovav3/buildingsystems/TensileFabric/tensilefabric.htm#2.
C. Form finding
Basic form
i) Conic        

ii) Barrel vault

iii) Hypar     

Edge or corner of fabric structures may be taken-up by cable or rigid frame. Proportion of 4:1 between the horizontal span and the vertical articulation is desirable. The more irregular and the flatter the form will result greater tension force at the corners.
You may find the form from http://www.membranes24.com/design.html.
D. Cost
The fabric membrance is cheaper than planar glazing and more expensive than polycarbonate solutions. It comes into its own in large span structures where the ratio of fabric to steel results in considerable savings over more conventional structures.
According to Xu (2004), the construction cost for PTFE outside China was approximately RMB$1800~3000/m².
Technical Reference:
1. Tensile World - Publication
2. Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, ArchSD
3. Wikipedia - Tensile Structure
4. Tensile fabric structures: concepts, practice & developments, The Structural Engineer, 2004
5. Membrane material behaviour: concepts, practice & developments, The Structural Engineer, 2004
6. Membranes24
7. Tensile Fabric Structures Notes
8. Technical Information
9. Tension structure connection details, Fabric Architecture Magazine
10. Review Specialty Fabics
Contractors / Suppliers:
1. Tensile Structure/Tension Membrane Contractors

2. 膜結構公司 (深圳)