Membranes for Structures - Applications

A growing use of membranes for construction purposes has recently been encouraged by their environmentally friendly characteristics. To offer a timely and extensive, research-grounded compendium on structures made with fabrics and foils, the most relevant facets of the state of the art are covered in two sister titles.

Membranes for Structures - Applications is steeped in fascinating, functional examples: in fact, a selection of detailed case studies is presented in Part One, preceded by the description of two relevant historical antecedents, which are the circus tent and the "envelat". The particular case of the successful spoked wheel structural system for the construction of large stadiums is the subject of Part Two, including descriptions of four significant case studies. Two growing fields of application are the focus of Part Three, which is dedicated to façades that give buildings a unique appearance, and Part Five, which addresses replacements, renovations, and refurbishments-activities that are frequently encountered in today’s construction industry. And Part Four presents the latest application developments in different countries across the globe, with achievements in China, Latin and North America, Japan, and Europe being highlighted.

The well-amalgamated contributions, authored by international experts, produce a comprehensive reference to keep students and researchers as well as industry professionals and various other stakeholders abreast with the latest advancements.

List of contents

PART I: Case studies
1. Antecedents: The circus tent and the "envelat"
2. Puerto Madero bus station
3. Large-scale inflatable hangars
4. Desert City
5. Design for urban infrastructure: Bus stations, tram stations, transfer hubs
6. Tensile membrane structure for the Koerich Castle
7. Oxígeno - Costa Rica
8. ETFE roof Rynek ¿azarski in Poznan, Poland
9. PumpItUp, gite mobile Esch-sur-Alzette
10. Tensile sculptures: Sculptures made with tensile membranes
11. Prestressed stayed masts
12. Renovation of Le Polygone Shopping Center Roof, Montpellier
13. Suzhou Kunshan Football Stadium

PART II: Spoked wheels
14. From the Colosseo to the Stadio Olimpico, Roma
15. Haikou Wuyuan River Sports Park Arena
16. Suzhou Olympic Sport Center Arena

PART III: Façades
17. Textilakademie MEURonchengladbach
18. Cuauhtémoc Stadium façade
19. EPIZEN shopping center textile façade

PART IV: Recent developments 2015-2023
20. Developments in China
21. Developments in Latin America
22. Developments in North America
23. Developments in Japan
24. Developments in Europe
25. Journey of tensile membrane architecture and structures in India, 1990-2025

PART V: Replacements
26. Valorization of tensioned membrane structures at the end of life
27. Sustainable approach to the renovation of membrane covering: Case of Teatro Verdi in Montecatini
28. Restoration of the membrane roof over the tennis stadium at Hamburg’s Rothenbaum
29. Elspe grandstand roof
30. Movable roof Tecklenburg
31. Renewal of the suspended ceilings at the Olympic Swimming Hall and the Olympic Hall in Munich
32. Retrofitting of an ETFE roof in Verona
33. Replacement of the JMA Dome (Carrier Dome) Roof, Syracuse University, New York
34. Replacement of the air-supported fabric membrane roof of BC Place

Product details

• Assisted by: Josep Ignasi de Llorens (Editor)
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 08.09.2025
• EAN: 9780443224058
• ISBN: 978-0-443-22405-8
• Weight: 1000 g
• Series: Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Structural and environmental engineering; Architecture, ARCHITECTURE / Design, Drafting, Drawing & Presentation, Architectural structure & design, ARCHITECTURE / Methods & Materials, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Civil / General, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Construction / General, ARCHITECTURE / General, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Drafting & Mechanical Drawing, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Chemical & Biochemical, ARCHITECTURE / Urban & Land Use Planning, ARCHITECTURE / Sustainability & Green Design, The environment, City & town planning - architectural aspects, Environmentally-friendly architecture & design, Science / Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, Enterprise Software, Sustainable agriculture, Materials science, Operational research, Civil engineering, surveying & building, Conservation of buildings & building materials, Building construction & materials, Environmental science, engineering and technology, Architectural structure and design, Building construction and materials, Architecture: professional practice, City and town planning: architectural aspects, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Materials Science / General, Environmentally-friendly (‘green’) architecture and design, Civil engineering, surveying and building, Industrial chemistry and chemical engineering, Engineering graphics & technical drawing, Construction and heavy industry