SHELL STRUCTURE

SHELL STRUCTURE

ASSIGNMENT 3
LITERATURE STUDY

TAMANNA BRAR 32/15

YACHIKA SHARMA 35/15
INTRODUCTION
Appearing first in the early 20th century, thin concrete shell structures were frequently used for
long-span roof structures throughout Europe and beyond during the period between 1920 and
1970. The development stemmed from the need to cover medium to large spans economically
and from a fascination with a new material: reinforced concrete.
Concrete shells include single curved shapes such as cylinders and cones and double curved
geometries such as domes which are either synclastic (curves running in the same direction) or
anticlastic (curves running in opposite directions). Most shells are constructed in a conventional
matter: pouring concrete on a formwork. Concrete shells are built as ‘thin shells’. There is
referred to a thin shell as the radius-to-thickness ratio of 200 puts the shell in the range of being
‘thin’. Thin shells provide in an advantageous low consumption of material.

DEFINITION

A thin shell concrete structure, is a structure composed of a relatively thin shell of concrete,
usually with no interior columns or exterior buttresses. The shells are most commonly flat plates
and domes, but may also take the form of ellipsoids or cylindrical sections, or some
combination thereof.

TYPES AND FORMS OF SHELL CLASSIFICATION BY

STRUCTURE GOVERNING EQUATION OF
• Folded Plates
GEOMETRY
• Barrel Vaults
• Short Shells ● Paraboloid of revolution
• Domes of Revolution ● Hyperboloid of revolution
• Folded Plate Domes
● Circular cylinder
• Intersection Shells
● Elliptical paraboloid
• Warped Surfaces
• Combinations ● Hyperbolic Paraboloid
• Shell Arches ● Circular cone
 SHELLS

Single curvature shell : are curved on one linear axis and are a part of a cylinder or
cone in the form of barrel vaults and coned shells.

Double curvature shell : are either part of a sphere, or a hyperboloid of revolution.

The terms single curvature and double curvature do not provide a precise geometric distinction
between the form of shell because a barrel vault is single curvature but so is a dome. The
terms single and double curvature are used to distinguish the comparative rigidity of the two
forms and complexity of centring necessary to construct the shell form.
The low consumption of material in shell structures follows from the unique character of the
shell: the curvature in spatial form. This unique character is responsible for the profound that
shell structures are very efficient in carrying loads acting perpendicular to their surface by
so-called membrane action, a general state of stress which consists of in- plane normal and
shear stress resultants only, whereas other structural forms carry the applied load mostly by
bending action, the least efficient load carrying method. This membrane action results in (low)
in-plane membrane stresses which can be absorbed by only a small thickness of the shell. As a
consequence shell structures can be very thin and still span great distances.
Radius-to-thickness ratios of 400 or 500 are not uncommon. Bending moments eventually arise
to satisfy specific equilibrium or deformation requirements. Because bending moments are
confined to a small region the rest of the shell is virtually free from bending actions and still
behaves as a true membrane. It is this salient feature of shells that is responsible for the most
profound and efficient structural performance!

Advantages: Disadvantages:
● very light form of construction. to span ● shuttering problem
30.0 m shell thickness required is 60mm ● greater accuracy in
● dead load can be reduced economizing formwork is required
foundation and supporting system ● good labour and supervision
● they further take advantage of the fact necessary
that arch shapes can span longer ● rise of roof may be a
● flat shapes by choosing certain arched disadvantage
shapes
● esthetically it looks good over other
forms of construction
Developable surface : Singly curved

Developable surface is a surface that can be

unrolled onto a flat plane without tearing or
stretching it. It is formed by bending a flat plane,
the most typical shape of a developable shell is a
barrel, and a barrel shell is curved only in one
direction.

Arch action & beam action together make a barrel.

there are mainly two types of barrel :

Structural behavior of short barrel shells:

These shells are typically supported at the corners
and can behave in one or a combination of ways.

Structural behavior of long barrel shells:

these are typically supported at the corners and
behave structurally as a large beam.

Non Developable surface : Doubly curved

They are mainly classified as :
1) Synclastic
2) Anticlastic

SYNCLASTIC

These shells are doubly curved and have a similar curvature in

each direction. e.g. domes.

A dome is a good example of a synclastic shell, it is doubly

curved and can be formed by rotating a curved line around an
axis. A dome can be split up into two different directions; vertical
sections separated by longitudinal arch lines (also called
meridians), and horizontal sections separated by hoops or
parallels.

Structural behavior :
Similar to arches under a uniform loading the dome is under
compression everywhere, and the stresses act along the arch
and hoop lines.
BARREL VAULT
 EXPANSION JOINTS
With changes in temperature, linear expansion or contraction of these rigid concrete shells
occurs. If there were excessive contraction or expansion the stresses so caused might deform
the shell and cause gradual collapse. To limit expansion and contraction, continuous expansion
joints are formed at intervals of about 30.0 both along the span and across the width of
multi-bay, multi-span barrel vault roofs. In effect the expansion joint is formed by erecting
separate shell structures each with its own supports and with compressible and expandable
joint material between adjacent structures.The expansion joint transverse to the span of the
vaults is formed by casting an upstand to adjacent stiffening beams with a non-ferrous flashing
to weather the joint. The expansion joint is made continuous to the ground with double columns
each side of a vertical expansion joint. Longitudinal expansion joints are formed in a valley with
upstands weathered with non-ferrous capping over the joint . This joint is continuous to the
ground with a vertical expansion joint between a pair of columns.
SURFACE OF REVOLUTION

CENTERING OF SHELLS
 SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

Sydney Opera House, located in the bay of Sydney

Harbour, is a performing arts centre which since it
opened in 1973 has come to be seen as a masterpiece
of modern architecture and a symbol of Australia.

It was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon,

following an international architectural competition in
1957. His entry was said to have been excluded by the
technical judging panel, but later reinstated on the
recommendation of one of the judge, architect Eero
Saarinen who would not endorse any other design.

The construction began with the removal of over

30 000 cubic metres of rock and rubble from
Bennelong Point in 1959 as a part of

Stage I, the construction of the

Podium.
The Podium, acting as the foundation has 588
concrete piers sunk as much as 25m below the
sea level. Although not a part of the initial design
idea, certain changes like these were done to
adjust to the on site alterations.
Stage II: Construction of Roof
shells

Early in the design process, the "shells"

were perceived as a series of parabolas
supported by precast concrete ribs. But due
to cost barriers and problems in creating a
uniform formwork for in-situ concrete
construction for the different roof forms,
upto 12 different iterations were tested for
the construction of the shells.
BOJES CHAPEL