Shell Structure

INTRODUCTION:
1. A shell structure is a thin, curved membrane or slab, usually of reinforced
concrete, that functions both as structure and covering, the structure deriving its
strength and rigidity from the curved shell forms.
2. Shell structures predominantly resist loads on them by direct compression. That
is without bending or flexure.
3. Since most materials are more effective in compression than in bending, shell
structures result in lesser thickness than flat structures.
MATERIAL:
The material most suited to the construction of a shell structure is concrete.
TYPES:
1. Shell structures are sometimes described as single or double curvature shells.
2. Single curvature shells, curved on one linear axis, are part of cylindrical or cone
in the form of barrel vaults and conoid shells.
3. Double curvature shells are either part of a sphere, as a dome, or a hyperboloid
of revolution.
FOLDED PLATES:
1. Folded plates are the simplest of the shell structures.
2. The distinguishing feature of the folded-plate is the ease in forming plane
surfaces.
3. They are more adaptable to smaller areas than curved surfaces.
4. A folded plate may be formed for about the same cost as a horizontal slab and
has much less steel and concrete for the same spans.
5. For widths of plate, over, say, 12 feet, the thickness of the folded plate must be
thicker.
6. Some advantage may be gained by increasing the thickness of the slab just at the
valleys so it will act as a haunched beam and as an I section plate girder.

BASIC ELEMENTS:
1. The inclined plates
2. Edge plates which must be used to stiffen the wide plates
3. Stiffeners to carry the loads to the supports and to hold the plates in line, and
4. Columns to support the structure in the air. Are the main 4 elements of folded
plates.
a. If several units were placed side by side, the edge plates should be omitted
except for the first and last plate.
b. If the edge plate is not omitted on inside edges, the form should be called a
two-segments folded plate with a common edge plate.
CANOPIES:
1. This folded plate has four segments.
2. A two-segment structure is not desirable because it has very little torsional
resistance.
3. If it is absolutely necessary to have a two-element system, a torsion member can
be placed in the valley which will carry the unbalanced loads.
4. Stiffeners can often be hidden on the top surface so they are not in evidence and
the shell will appear to spring from the vertical column.
5. At the wall of the building there should also be a stiffener hidden in the wall
construction.
6. Provision should be made for the drainage of the centre valley.
EDGE SUPPORTED FOLDED PLATES:
1. The usual upturned edge plate can be eliminated and the roof structure can be
made to appear very thin if the edge plate is replaced by a series of columns.
2. The slab between columns must be designed as a beam and it may be convenient
to extend the main roof slab as a cantilever canopy.
3. The vertical columns in the end walls at the crown of the gable takes the reactions
of the plates and the horizontal ties may be eliminated.
4. Wind loads are taken by rigid frame action in the columns and stiffeners.
CYLINDRICAL BARREL VAULTS:
1. Barrel vaults are perhaps the most useful of the shell structures because they
can span upto 150 feet with a minimum of material
2. They are very efficient structures because the use the arch forms to reduce
stresses and thicknesses in the transverse direction.
3. Barrel vaults are essentially deep concrete beams with very thin web members
and may be designed as such by the ordinary methods of reinforced concrete.
ELEMENTS OF BARREL VAULTS:
1. The shell has been allowed to project beyond the edge of the stiffener in order to
show the shape of the shell.
2. Stiffeners are required at columns.
3. In contrast to folded plates where the thickness is based on the design of a slab
element, the thickness of the barrel shell is usually based on the minimum
thickness required for covering the steel for fireproofing, plus the space required
for three layers of bars, plus some space for tolerance.
4. Near the supports the thickness may be greater for containing the larger
longitudinal bars.
5. If more than one barrel is placed side by side, the structure is a multiple barrel
structure and if more than one span, it is called a multiple span structure.
DOMES OF REVOLUTION:
1. A dome is a space structure covering a more or less square or circular area.
2. They are formed by a surface generated by a curve of any form revolving about a
vertical line.
3. This surface has double curvature and the resulting structure is much stiffer and
stronger than a single curved surface, such as a cylindrical shell.
4. The simple dome of revolution is a portion of a sphere.
5. However, other curves are also satisfactory, such as the ellipse, the parabola,
other conic sections, or random curves.
SPHERE SEGMENT COLUMN SUPPORTS:
1. If a dome is built as less than a half sphere, a tension ring of steel bars, plates,
or wires is required at the base to carry the thrusts of the shell.
2. In this case, the ting has been made big enough so that it assists in distributing
the reaction of the columns into the dome.
3. The direct stresses in the shell are mostly compressive in this structure and are
so small that the stress calculations are hardly necessary.
4. Domes have been built with a thickness of 6 inches for a span of about 300 feet.

HALF SPHERE VERTICAL WALLS:

1. A half sphere for a dome of revolution does not require thrust ring at the base so
it can be placed on vertical walls and made continuous with the walls.
2. This design is used for tanks because the roof becomes a part of the tank.
ĐOMES-SQUARE IN PLAN.
1. This structure is a spherical dome with portions sliced off to form a square or
rectangle.
2. This dome is supported by four rigid frames and would only be suitable for small
spans because the frames would get quite large.
3. For long spans, it is necessary to place a tie between the knees of the frame.
4. Stresses in the shell are direct compression (membrane) stresses except across
the corner where there are direct tensile forces due to the outward spread of the
forces.
TRANSLATION DOMES:
1. This structure looks very much like the Square Dome except the shape is
generated by an entirely different method.
2. A translation shell is generated by a vertical curve sliding along another vertical
curve.
3. The curves can be circles, ellipses, or parabolas.
4. Most of the load is carried by the side arches with some coming directly to the
corners.
5. Such shells are suitable for quite long spans with some interior lighting furnished
by skylights in the shell.
6. Barret shells-folded plates and shell arches are all special cases of translation
shells.
INTERSECTION SHELL CROSS FORM:
1. Four cylindrical barrels interest to form a central dome.
2. The structure is supported by four columns at the corners of the intersection so
that part of the barrel cantilevers from the central dome.
3. Provision must be made for thrusts from the barrels and the central dome at the
column.
There are several alternates:
a. the columns may be made very heavy,
b. short lengths of walls in ap angle shape may be used at the corners instead
of individual columns
c. diagonal members may be placed in each of the walls, or
d. ties may be place between tops of columns
4. The architectural advantage of this structure is that it appears to float in the air.
INTERSECTION SHELL FOLDED PLATE:
1. Almost all the combinations used for curved shells may be used for folded plates,
the resulting forms are almost unlimited.
2. The columns may be place so that there is no column at the corner and the central
dome is suspended from four cantilevers.
3. However, it is better to put the column in the corner so that the central
intersection may be used as the stiffening element.
COMBINATIONS OF SHELLS:
Combinations of shells are useful and lend variety to the other shapes and forms.
The number of combinations is practically unlimited. The combinations possible are:
1. barrel shells and folded plates,
2. barrel shells and short shells,
3. barrel shells and domes of revolution,
4. barrel shells and conoids,
5. folded plates and short shells,
6. folded plates and domes of revolution.
7. folded plates and conoids,
8. short shells and domes of revolution,
9. short shells and conoids, and
10. domes of revolution and conoids.
DOME AND BARREL VAULT:
1. The side of the square dome suggests the shape of a barrel vault.
2. These are really independent structures since the structural elements are all
formed before the attachment has been made and could be cut apart without
destroying the structure.
3. Vaults can be attached to any of the four sides to produce a T shape or a cross
shaped building and the wings may be of Various lengths.
4. The ties across the sides of the dome can be eliminated by L shaped walls acting
as thrust abutments.

SHELL ARCHES:
1. Folded plates and cylindrical barrel shells are essentially beams.
2. The same cross-sectional shapes can be used for arches and a new set of forms,
having different structural properties, is obtained
3. There are types of shells that fit in several categories.
4. The hyperbolic paraboloidal dome is really a shell arch.
FOLDED PLATE ARCH:
1. This structure is suitable for quite long spans and forms for the concrete can be
used many times because each unit can be made self-supporting
2. All of the different section shapes of folded plates are possible with this type of
structure.
3. As in the folded plate shapes, an edge plate is required for the outside member
4. Placing of concrete on the steep slope at the springing of the arches may be a
problem unless blown-on concrete is used or the lower portion of the shell may
be precast on the ground and lifted into place.

BARREL ARCH:
1. This shape is similar to the folded plate shell arch except that cross sectional
elements are curved instead of being made with plane surfaces.
2. The surface is more difficult to form but the width of the individual elements may
be made greater than for the folded plate shape
3. Arches of very long span possible because the bending moments in an arch are
much less than in a beam of comparable span.