Analysis and Design of Tensile Membrane Structures: Challenges and Recommendations

Tensile membrane structures (TMS) are increasingly in demand due to their ability to span large distances with elegance and structural efficiency. Because TMS is comparatively new to the structural engineering world, there are relatively limited resources available explaining the behavior of such structures. Most countries do not have documented guidelines for the analysis and design of TMS. This paper presents the existing challenges and provides some recommendations on the analysis and design of membrane structures. Emphasis is placed on form-finding, which is the initial equilibrium analysis of membranes. Attention is also given to understanding the behavior of TMS subjected to environmental forces, especially because of their inherent flexibility that imparts a complex interaction between the form and the applied forces.