Deployable bar structures on a rectangular base present the problems of closing the ends and longitudinal stabilization. Some proposals have been made to resolve them, mainly by creating mouths, but their application to composite geometries is problematic.<...

Bistable scissor structures, consisting of beams connected by hinges, are transportable and can be transformed from a compact to a deployed configuration. Geometric incompatibilities can be introduced during transformation to obtain a bistable structural respo...

Graphic statics has been used for over 150 years, having been pioneered by the likes of Maxwell, Cremona, Culmann and Rankine, and has recently seen a resurgence in popularity because of its use in design. However, it is only concerned with equilibrium; as any...

The implementation of post-tensioned elements in concrete structures offers a multitude of benefits with regards to the overall structural behavior, with the efficacy of the applied tendons depending heavily on their geometry. However, the derivation of an opt...

Closed-form equations for determination of reactions and internal forces of linear-elastic symmetric arches with constant cross-sections are derived. The derivation of the equations was initially made for segmental, threehinged, two-hinged, and hingeless arche...

The talent, knowledge and approaches of the structural designer Laurent Ney (1964-present) are increasingly recognized by engineering, architecture and construction awards. Most of the writing on his work has focused on his design philosophy or on individual p...

A membrane solution for a catenary dome is presented. The theory solves for the meridian and hoop stresses, assuming a symmetrical load. The theory is extended to solve for domes with an oculus, or rather a circular hole at the apex of the dome. The proposed t...

The paper presents a complete study of the work done by Pier Luigi Nervi for the design and construction of a series of concrete hangars between 1935 and 1940. This research is enclosed in the framework of the exhibition entitled "Pier Luigi Nervi, il modello ...

In the past, record breaking large shell structures with ice composites were successfully realized by spraying cellulose-water mixture on an inflatable mould. This paper presents the application of a new, production technique for ice composites by extrusion in...

The load factor is one of the keys in anti-buckling design for safety together for construction cost, and studies have been becoming demanded in a recent situation that super large and super light spatial structures have been constructed. This paper investigat...

This research outlines a new computational workflow for the design and optimization of patterned, perforated surface structures. Well-designed surface structures can be highly efficient on their own, but their potential for structural efficiency can be notably...

This paper presents a design method of Auxetic Bending-Active Gridshells (ABAGs), which are curved surfaces generated from the initial flat grid with 2-dimensional auxetic patterns. One of the mechanical properties of ABAGs is that a dome-like shape of a curve...

Max Borges Jr. (1918 – 2009) was an architect of thin shell concrete structures in Cuba in the 1950's. During this time, Félix Candela (1910 – 1997) owned a construction company that was dedicated to the design and construction of thin shells. Candela also own...

David Billington was a scholar of structural art and an inspirational educator who introduced generations of engineering students to the history and evolution of their discipline. This paper reflects on the author's time as a graduate student studying under Da...

Princeton Professor David Billington died on March 25, 2018 at the age of 90. David was a structural engineer, scholar, and a master teacher. He taught two courses at Princeton University. By Princeton standards these were very large courses, impacting as many...

The author relates a partnership over several decades with his father, David P. Billington, in support of his father's teaching and research on structural art and engineering history.

This paper expands on David Billington's pioneering writings on the Spanish school and demonstrates construction innovations by two important 20 th century shell builders: Rafael Guastavino Jr. (1872-1950) and Eduardo Torroja (1899-1961), who each extended tra...

How to relate an exchange with a recognized personality who is known for his books, his lectures and his teaching? How to situate this work of transmission operated by D. P. Billington to highlight the specificities of those engineers who are said to be artist...

The existence of structural art has implications far beyond the aesthetics of the built environment. Beauty is the purest expression of the human spirit, and its potential to coexist in the engineering imagination with practical project requirements is a power...