Anchor Bolts –
Threaded bolts used to fasten structural members to masonry. Anchor bolts can
be in the form of “J” bolts or simply a threaded rod. If a threaded rod is
used, there will typically be a nut and a washer secured to the imbed section
of the bolt to help resist the possibilities of the bolt being pulled from the
concrete.
Anisotropy – The
feature of fabric wherein the physical properties and behavior are not the same
in all directions.
Anticlastic – A
surface with positive (Gaussian) curvature in one principal direction and
negative (Gaussian) curvature in the other. A saddle shaped surface (potato
chip).
Base Fabric – The
uncoated fabric, also known as greige goods.
Bias – Oriented at
45-degrees to the warp and fill directions of the fabric.
Biaxial – Taken along
two concurrent orthogonal directions, usually principal directions.
Boss Plate –
Doughnut-shaped plate attached to a cable ear plate to reinforce the pinhole
and allow a thinner plate.
Butt Seam – Seam
created when the two pieces being joined are butted together and joined with a
strip twice the width of the seam.
Cable Cuff – Edge
treatment in which the fabric is folded over on itself to form a pocket in
which a catenary cable can be installed.
Cable Fitting –
Device attached to the end of a cable to allow a connection to another member.
Fittings can be swaged, speltered or compression type.
Catenary – The curve
theoretically formed by a perfectly flexible, uniformly dense, inextensible
“cable” suspended from each of two end points. In fabric structures experience,
this shape is probably not ever truly developed, but is commonly used to
describe the shape developed at the boundary of a uniformly stressed fabric
structure attached to a cable which is restrained only at its end points.
Catenary Cable –
Steel cables that run through the pockets on the perimeter of a tension
structure fabric. The shape of the cable follows that of the pocket, which is
typically curved with a ratio of 1:10. The length of the cable is to be
determined from by the engineer supplying the fabric patterning. The thickness
of the cable is to be determined by the engineer who is calculating the
reaction loads at the cable ends.
Catenary Edge –
Method of securing the edge of a panel with a cable tensioned between two fixed
points.
Catenary Pocket (AKA
“Banana Pocket”) – This is the pocket that is placed at the perimeter of the
fabric cover to secure the catenary cable. The pocket has a curve with a ratio
that is defined by the fabric patterning, but is typically close to a 1:10
ratio. This means for every 10 feet of length, there will be about a foot of
bend to it. Due to the curvature of the shape, the pocket is typically
fabricated by sealing together two halves of the pocket together with an
overlap of 1” to 2” at the outside edge of the pocket.
Clevis – Device used
with a cable stud end or a threaded rod to form a pinned connection that is
somewhat adjustable.
Coating – A material
applied to a fabric for waterproofing and protection of the fabric yarns.
Coating Adhesion –
Strength of the bond between the substrate of a fabric and the coating.
Compensation – The
operation of shop fabricating a fabric structure or pieces of the structure
smaller in the unstressed condition than the actual installed size, to account
for the stretch at pre-stress level.
Crimp – The extent of
deformation normal to the plane of the fabric that the fill and warp yarns
undergo as they are woven together.
Detension – Relieve
the tension or stress in a membrane.
Elongation – The
change in lengths of a material sample; normally this is associated with some
load or force acting on the sample. In fabric, this elongation does not
normally refer to true strain of the fiber elements as in the classical sense;
but, rather, normally refers to the “apparent” strain resulting from a
straightening out of the crimped yarns in the fabric matrix.
Equilibrium Shape –
The configuration that a tensioned fabric surface assumes when boundary
conditions, pre-stress level, and pre-stress distribution are defined.
Fabric – A woven or
laid cloth made of yarns.
Fabric Clamp – Device
for clamping the edge of a fabric panel, usually a bar or channel shape and
made of aluminum or steel.
Fiber – The basic
thread of the material from which the yarns and fabrics are made.
Fill Yarns – The
shorter yarns of a fabric, which usually run at right angles to the warp yarns.
Also known as weft yarns.
Flutter – Excessive,
uncontrolled movement, usually caused by the interaction between the structure
and wind. This occurs when the fabric lacks sufficient pre-stress.
Footing – The large
concrete anchoring structure that holds the tension structure securely to the
ground. The top of the footing is typically flush with the ground level. The
footing is comprised of a matrix of steel rebar that is referred to as a cage.
The concrete is poured into the hole in the ground that holds the cage. The
anchor bolts get placed into the top of the footing at their precise location
as indicated in the shop drawings. A certified engineer must calculate the size
of the footings. The size of the footing must contain enough weight to hold down
the tension structure for the wind loads in the area.
Form Finding (AKA
“Form Generation”) – The process of determining the equilibrium shape of a
fabric structure.
Greige Goods –
Uncoated fabric. Also known as the base fabric.
Guy Cable – This
steel cable is used to support the structural integrity of the steel frame. It
may be attached at the ends of the steel struts (or “arms”) to hold them
together and resist them from movement relative to each other. Unlike catenary
cables, the lengths are calculated by a straight point-to-point dimension. The
engineer will need to determine the thickness by calculating the maximum stress
on the cable.
HDPE – High Density
Polyethylene (HDPE) fabric is an extra heavy duty woven mesh fabric that blocks
up to 95% of harmful UV rays. This
superior Fire Rated Knitted shade fabric is designed for use in modular shade
structures and shade sails.
Hysteresis – The
failure of fabric to return to its original geometry after the strain-inducing
force has been removed.
Keder – Brand name
for the solid PVC cord used at a “rope edge”. Rope edges provide strength and a
surface to evenly distribute fabric tension forces.
Lap Seam – Seam
created when the two pieces being joined are overlapped by the width of the
seam.
Light Transmission –
A measure of the portion of light striking a fabric surface that passes through
the fabric and into the space to provide daylighting.
Mast – The principal
upright in a tension structure.
Membrane – The fabric
panels used in tension structures.
Membrane Plate –
Metal plates attached to the membrane corners used for securing the membrane to
the frame.
Modulus of Elasticity – The ratio of the change in stress to the change in strain. Usually defined as
a force per unit width of a membrane material.
Node Points –
Intersection points of the elements used to define the fabric shape in the
structural analysis; these are normally given in terms of a three-dimensional
coordinate system.
Patterning – The
process of defining two-dimensional pieces of fabric, which can be spiced
together to form a desired three-dimensional shape. M-Panel is an add on tool
for AutoCAD that has the ability to assist in the process of patterning.
Poisson’s Ratio – The
ratio of lateral strain to longitudinal strain; may take a wide range of values
due to the deformation characteristics of a woven material.
pre-stress – The
stress state that exists in a fabric structure when it is not acted upon by
service loads; usually induced by the boundary conditions of the fabric membrane.
PTFE –
“Polytetrafluoroethylene”, commonly known by its trademark name Teflon™. This
coating is applied to a fiberglass scrim to produce a high strength tension
structure fabric membrane with a life expectancy of thirty plus years. PTFE may
also be expanded and woven into a fabric that can be coated with a
fluoropolymer to create a high strength architectural fabric.
PVC – “Polyvinyl
chloride”, properly mixed with plasticizers for flexibility and applied to a
polyester scrim makes for a high strength and popular tension structure fabric
membrane. The life expectancy and cost are proportionally lower than PTFE.
Radius of Curvature –
The inverse of the magnitude of (Gaussian) curvature at a location on a
membrane surface. The magnitude is typically considered in two principal
directions. The orientation of the principal directions and their magnitude may
vary continuously over the surface.
Rebar Cage – A
reinforcing matrix of steel rods used to strengthen concrete.
Reinforcement – An
additional layer of fabric placed in an area of high stress to protect the main
fabric.
Roll Goods – Edge
treatment in which the edge of the fabric is folded over on itself and a rope
or cord is incorporated in the fold to increase the strength of the clamped
fabric.
Sectionalizing –
Method of field joining large fabric panels utilizing clamping hardware.
Sleeve – A tube of
fabric, which loosely contains a structural element such as a cable, rod, etc.
Spelter – Type of
cable fitting in which the strands of the cable are opened inside the fitting
and molten lead is poured into the fitting to secure the cable.
Stay Cable – A steel
cable that is used to stabilize the mast in response to the forces created by
wind loads. The stay cables are used to resist movement of the structure relative
to the earth. One end of the cable will typically connect to the end of the
steel frame near the fabric connection. The other end will terminate to a
sturdy section of the mast or a footing in the ground.
Swage – Type of cable
fitting in which a sleeve fits over the outside of the cable and the sleeve is
compressed around the cable to form a tight fit.
Synclastic – A
surface with positive (Gaussian) curvature in both principal directions. A
bubble shaped surface.
Thimble – Device used
in a simple cable loop end to secure the cable and bear against the pin.
Thimbles are usually used with shackles.
Top Finish (AKA
“Topping”) – An additional coating sometimes used on fabric for greater
protection against UV degradation or for ease of cleaning purposes (i.e.
Ferrari’s PVDF named “T2®”; or Dupont’s PVF named “Tedlar®”).
Turnbuckle – Threaded
device used with cables or rods to allow adjustment.
Ultraviolet (UV)
Degradation – The deterioration of a fabric under long-term exposure to
sunlight. Using a top finish on the fabric will help prevent the UV
degradation.
Uniaxial – Taken
along one direction, usually a principal direction.
Warp Yarn – The long
straight yarns in the long direction of a piece of fabric.
Weaving – The process
of making a fabric from yarns passing alternately over and under each other.
Weft Yarn – The
shorter yarns of a fabric, which usually run at right angles to the warp yarns.
Also called the fill yarns.
Weldment – Connection
component, usually steel, for the attachment of cables and/or fabric. If may be
free-floating or connected to other membranes.
Wicking – The
conveying of liquid by capillary action along and through the yarns of the base
fabric.
Wire Rope Clip –
U-shaped bolt with a special insert, specifically designed to clamp a wire rope
to itself when forming a loop end for temporary cables.
Wrinkles – Furrows or
ridges on the normally smooth surface of a fabric structure, which are
indicative of extreme differences between the principal stresses typically
resulting from a lower stress perpendicular to the furrow.
Yarn – A number of
fibers grouped together to make a thicker strand for weaving. They may be
twisted together or parallel to each other.