FOLDED GRIDS

Folded plates are assemblies of flat plates rigidly connected

together along their edges.in such a way so as to make the
structural system capable of carrying loads without the need
for additional supporting beams along mutual edges.

Types of folded plates :

1-Prismatic : if they consist of rectangular plates.
2-Pyramidal : when non-rectangular plates are used.
3-Prismoidal, triangular or trapezoidal.

Based on geometric shape folded structures

folded plate surfaces,
folded plate frames,
spatial folded plate structures

Based on the transmission of load

linear folded plate structure,
radial folded plate structure,
spatial folded plate structure.

Figure: Forms of Folded Grids

 Structural behavior of folding
Load Distribution process :
At first, the external forces are transferred to the
shorter edge of one folding element.
There, the reaction as an axial force is divided
between the adjacent elements.
Then the forces transferred to the bearings.

Structural Condition Of Folding Structures.

Advantages:
Very light form of construction. To span 30 m shell
thickness required is 60 mm only.
The use of concrete as a building material reduces
both Disadvantages:
materials cost and a construction cost.
Longer span can be provided. Shuttering is difficult.
Flat shapes by choosing certain arched shapes. Greater accuracy in formwork is required.
Esthetically it looks good over other forms of Good labor and supervision necessary.
construction. Rise of roof may be a disadvantage.
 Building examples :

Air Force Academy Chapel, USA

Architect: Walter Netsch,
Length: 280 ft, Height: 150 ft,
Width: 84 ft

Yokohama International
Passenger Terminal, Japan
Architect: Alejandro Zaera-Polo
& Farshid Moussavi
Length: 430m, Height: 15m,
Width: 70m
FLAT GRID OR WAFFLE SYSTEM
Flat Grid Slab / Waffle Slab
Definition :

A waffle slab is a type of building material that has two-directional

reinforcement on the outside of the material, giving it the shape
of the pockets on a waffle.
This type of reinforcement is common on concrete, wood and
metal construction. A waffle slab gives a substance significantly
more structural stability without using a lot of additional material.
CEILING VIEW
This makes a waffle slab perfect for large flat areas like foundations
or floors.

Appearance :
The top of a waffle slab is generally smooth, like a traditional
building surface, but the underside has a shape reminiscent of
a waffle.
Straight lines run the entire width and length of the slab,
generally raised several inches from the surface.
These ridges form the namesake square pockets of the entire
length and width of the slab
GRID ABOVE WAFFLE SLAB
Features of the Waffle Slab
The features of the Waffle slab are as follows :

They are used on flat sites

They are wholly above ground
No beam excavation is required
No controlled or rolled fill is used
Cardboard slab panel/void formers are used
Slab panels are on 1 metre grids (approximately)
Trench mesh or individual bars can be used
Slab thickness is 85 - 100 mm
Internal beams are 110 200 mm wide
There is minimal concrete volume
No beam down drag from clay (above ground slab) occurs
Shrinkage of slab is lower than stiffened rafts and footing
slabs
They use 30% less concrete than a stiffened raft
They use 20% less steel than a stiffened raft.
USES
Waffle slab can be used as both ceiling and floor slab.
They are used in the areas where less number of columns
are provided, i.e. it is basically used in th areas which has
huge spans.
Waffle slab is not used in typical construction projects.
They are used for specialized projects that involve clean
rooms, spaces requiring seclusion from low frequency
vibration or those needing low floor deflections.
The concrete waffle slab is often used for industrial and
commercial buildings while wood and metal waffle slabs
are used in many other construction sites.
This form of construction is used in airports, parking
garages, commercial and industrial buildings, bridges,
residences and other structures requiring extra stability.
The main purpose of employing this technology is for its
strong foundation characteristics of crack and sagging
resistance. Waffle slab also holds a greater amount of
load compared with conventional concrete slabs.
Formwork Required
Different Types of Pods

The formwork required for waffle slabs are as

follows:
Wall connectors Metal/Steel bars
Vertical support stand
Clits Cube junctions
Horizontal support beams
Pods Hole plates
Connectors
Reinforcements of Waffle Slab
Example of the Slab

Reflected Ceiling 3d view of the Ceiling

View of the slab

Load deflection in the provided

Plan of tendon 3d view of tendon
waffle slab
placement layout placement
 Construction Technique

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Arranging the Fixing the Fixing the Providing a Placing the Pods
Framework Connectors Framework horizontal connector

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Fixing pods to the Removing Removing Removing pods Providing stacking
connectors framework connectors
Advantages :
Waffle slabs are able to carry heavier
loads and span longer distances than flat
slabs as these systems are light in weight.
Suitable for spans of 7m 16m ; longer
spans may be possible with posttensioning.
It is also economical as the amount of
concrete and steel is reduced as
compared to flush slabs. Saving 15%
concrete and 10% steel as compared to
traditional T beams.
These systems are light in weight and
hence considerable saving is ensured in
the framework as light framework is
required.
Coffered underside is usually left exposed
for visual appearance.
Dis-advantages :
Construction requires strict supervision and
skilled labour.
The casting forms or moulds required for
pre-cast units are very costly and hence
only economical when large scale
production of similar units are desired.
Headroom is reduced , hence increased
storey height.
Due to waffle ceiling , it creates problem in
lighting facilities and hanging pipes or
ducts.
 BUILDING EXAMPLES
Metropol Parasol,Italy
It is the worlds largest wooden
structure which is made up of waffle
system.
Lodytel Communication
Chattrapati Shivaji
Development Centre, Spain
Terminal,India
It is recognized for its innovative column It was the first building to use the
design which also consists waffle design. Holedeck pods for waffle sytem.
Braced Domes
Metal braced domes
Relatively light weight
More stable
Ability to cover and shape large spans
Consists of either straight or curved members
Composed of ribs, compression rings, tension
rings, struts , braces etc.
Supported on columns, walls or ring beams

Types of Braced domes:

1. Ribbed Domes
2. Schwedler Domes
3. Three way Grid domes
4. Lamella Domes
5. Geodesic domes
 1. Ribbed Domes
Consists of a number of intersecting ribs and rings.
Group of elements that lie along a meridional line and
a ring is a group of elements that constitute a
horizontal polygon.
Ribs can be radial trussed or solid.
They generally interconnected at the crown and a
tension
ring at the foundation stiffens the ribs.
A ribbed dome will not be structurally stable unless it is Hagia Sofia, Istanbul
designed
as rigidly jointed system, since it does not have
diagonal elements

2. Schwedler Domes
Most popular types of braced dome
Consists of meridional ribs connected together to a
number of horizontal polygonal rings
To stiffen the resulting structure so that it will be able to
resist unsymmetrical loads, each trapezium formed by
intersecting meridional ribs with horizontal rings is Climatron,Missouri
subdivided into two triangles by introducing a
diagonal member.
 3. Three Way Grid Domes

A grid dome is obtained by projecting a plane grid

pattern onto a curved surface.
Grid domes are normally rather shallow with their rise
to span ratios being smaller than the other types of
domes.
The intersection of three way grid dome members
forms a triangular space lattice.
A modified type of threeway grid is fourway grid dome Odale-wood dome, Japan
which has denser pattern.

4. Lamella Domes
Consists of a large number of similar units, called
lamellas.
Arranged in a diamond or rhombus pattern.
Each lamella unit has a length which is twice the
length of the side of a diamond.
A lamella dome has a diagonal pattern and may
involve one or more rings.
The great popularity of lamella domes is due to their
exceptionally good behaviour under Climatron,Missouri
excessive wind loadings.
5. Geodesic Domes

Follows the geometry in the sphere.

Network of struts arranged on the surface of the sphere.
Uses a pattern of self-bracing triangles.
Uses least material possible
Stronger, lighter and cheaper per unit of volume as their size
increases

Desert Dome, Egypt

Advantages Structural Behavior

Material Load Transfer
Stability
Structure - abstract geometry
Naturally occurring shape

Disadvantages
Unusable Space
Difficulty in construction of doors and windows
Challenge for drainage and fire safety
Financing and Resale
 Tensile structures
It can be defined as a structure where the exterior shell
is a fabric material spread over a framework.
The fabric is maintained in tension in all directions to
provide stability.
Load bearing capacity is achieved through tension
stress in the components.
The boundaries and structural members
experience compression and bending.
 Shape of Tensile structures
Large pieces are very poor at resisting loads.
Imagine four of you each pulling on the strings laced
through a tennis ball.
A fifth person pushing down on the ball can deflect it easily.
Imagine a flappy roof.
Try lifting two opposite strings and lowering the other two.
The ball is now locked in space. Apply this principle to
fabric and you have created anticlastic double curvature

Types : SADDL
Arch Supported Arch supported
E-
Saddle Type
Saddle Type
Mast Supported `

Mast Supported
Saddle Roof
Four or more point system when the fabric is
stretched between a set of alternating high and
low points

The roof plan, taken directly from the

structural engineering working drawings,
illustrates the roof configuration and its
components.

Section through the project showing the stage roof tucked under
Arch Supported Roof the auditorium roof.

Curved compression members are used as the

main supporting elements and cross arches are
used for lateral stability.

In a plane arch, large differences between the

thrust lines and the main geometry will produce
large bending moments that in turn produce
large changes in shape and high stresses in the
arch chord section. One method to significantly
reduce these effects is to tie or restrain points
along the arch chord to reduce the initial large
deformations of the chord.
Typical arch shapes defined by physical and ergonomic constraints.
Mast Supported `

Tent-like in appearance, mast supported structures

typically have one or sometimes several peaks that
are supported by either interior or perimeter masts.

The fabric is attached to the interior mast by special

connections, usually a bale ring or cable loop.

Mast-supported structures can also be supported by

adjacent buildings. The peaks of a mast supported
structure are determined by the design and how the
fabric is attached.

Openings are typically ovoid or elliptical. The fabric

that extends from the top of the opening is seamed
and can necessitate patterning.

Mast supported systems are suitable for long span

roofs.
cases of Tensile structures

Dead Load Dead + Snow Load Dead + Snow Load

(Symmetric) (Asymmetric)

Dead + Wind + Snow

Dead + Wind Load Dead + Wind + Snow Load
(Asymmetric) Load
LOAD CASES WITHOUT PRESTRESSES
Advantages Disadvantages
Longer life cycles of materials. Little to no rigidity
Materials can be re-used in form. Loss of tension is dangerous for stability
Most materials are completely recyclable. Thermal values limit use
Less impact on site.
Less construction debris after demolition.
Unique designs
Lightweight and flexible
Environmentally sensitive
High strength weight ratio

Building examples :

Apollo Hospital, New Delhi Denver International Airport ILBS Hospital, New Delhi
SUBMITTED BY
Akash Rahandale (03)
Amar Pardhi (04)
Ashish K Agrahari (05)
Eshank Dubey (38)
Musheer Mansoori (39)
Shrey Agarwal (36)

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