US 5,857,294 A · Dome roof structure and method of designing and constructing same

Abstract

A structural system that can be used to cover an underlying area exactly or approximately defined by a circle, an ellipse, a superellipse, a triangle, a rectangle, a regular polygon, an irregular polygon, or any closed boundary line. When viewed in plan, the roof structure substantially matches the boundary of the underlying area. The roof structure is made of sets of evenly or unevenly spaced arched parallel trusses which, at their lower ends, are supported by a compression ring that substantially matches the perimeters of the underlying area, and at their high end intersect one of a set of arched collector trusses. When viewed in plan, each parallel truss is parallel to one of a set of generator lines, defined as those lines running from a central point in the projected area of the roof structure to the vertices of a regular or irregular circumscribing polygon that approximates the projected roof area. The collector trusses are located in plan, on the lines that bisect the angles formed by adjacent generator lines. A series of hoop-like tension members which are similar to the geometry of the compression ring, are located at different heights. Substantially vertical compression members are located in plan at the intersection points of the centerlines of the set of hoop-like tension members. The roof structure can be provided with retractable membrane panels, to expose the underlying area to light and air, as desired.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A vertical compression member for use stressing first and second cable tension members in a roof structure, said vertical compression member comprising:

a variable length compression structure having first and second end portions selectively positionable from each other at any one of a plurality of distances along a longitudinal axis passing through said first and second end portions;
and
length fixing means, operably associated with said variable length compression structure, for selectively fixing the distance between said first and second sections to one of said plurality of distances so that said vertical compression member stresses two or more cable tension members in said cable dome roof structure.

A method of stressing first and second cable tension members in a roof structure, comprising the steps:

(a) providing a vertical compression member, including
(1) a variable length compression structure having first and second end portions selectively positionable from each other at any one of a plurality of distances along a longitudinal axis passing through said first and second end portions, and
(2) length fixing means, operably associated with said variable length compression structure for selectively fixing the distance between said first and second sections to one of said plurality of distances so that said vertical compression member stresses two or more cable tension members in said roof structure;
(b) installing said vertical length compression structure between said first and second cable tension members, such that said first end portion operably engages said first cable tension member and said second end portion operably engages said second cable tension member;
(c) operably connecting a jacking assembly to said variable length compression structure;
(d) using said jacking assembly to displace said first and second end portions along said longitudinal axis at a selected one of said plurality of distances, and causing said displaced first and second end portions to stress said first and second cable tension members respectively;
and
(e) using said length fixing means to fix the distance between said first and second end portions to said selected distance while said first and second cable tension members are stressed by said vertical length compression structure.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dome roof structure and method of designing and constructing same

Life of this patent

Dome roof structure and method of designing and constructing same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16