MATERIALS

MATERIALS USED FOR SPACE FRAMES

1. TIMBER
2. STEEL
1.TIMBER: THIS TIMBER MATERIAL IS ALSO USED IN THE 19th
CENTURY AND BY USING THIS MATERIAL THE MAINTANIANCE LEVEL IS
BECOMING VERY HIGH.
2.STEEL: THIS STEEL MATERIAL WHICH IS USED FOR THE SPACE
FRAMES SUSTAIN MORE LOAD AND CARRY TONES OF WEIGHT.THIS STEEL
IS MOSTLY USED IN NOW-A-DAYS IN A LONG SPAN STRUCTURES AND HAS
TO BE MAINTAINED PROPERLY.

SPACEFRAME COMPONENTS :
1.MEMBERS

1.MEMBERS ARE OF STEEL /ALUMINIUM VIZ., IN TWO FORMS

CIRCULAR STEEL MEMBER, RECTANGULAR STEEL MEMBERS.

CIRCULAR STEEL
MEMBERS

RECTANGULAR
STEEL MEMBER

Horizontal slab of interlocking square, pyramids and tetrahedral

built from aluminium or tubular steel struts.

LIGHTWEIGHT -THIS IS MAINLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT MATERIAL IS

DISTRIBUTED SPATIALLY IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE LOAD TRANSFER
MECHANISM IS PRIMARILY AXIAL; TENSION OR COMPRESSION.
CONSEQUENTLY, ALL MATERIAL IN ANY GIVEN ELEMENT IS UTILIZED
TO ITS FULL EXTENT. FURTHERMORE, MOST SPACE FRAMES ARE NOW
CONSTRUCTED WITH ALUMINUM, WHICH DECREASES CONSIDERABLY
THEIR SELF-WEIGHT