Anchor Bolts: Threaded bolts used to fasten structural members to concrete foundations. Anchor bolts can be in the form of “j†bolts or chemical anchors.
Butt Seam: Seam created when the two pieces of fabric being joined together are butted together with a strip twice the width of the seam.
Catenary Cable Pocket: Edge treatment in which the fabric is folded over on itself to form a pocket in which a catenary cable can be installed.
able to allow a connection to another member. Fittings are swaged.
Catenary Cable Fitting: Steel cables that run through the pockets on the perimeter of a tension fabric structure. 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 determined by the project engineer supplying the fabric patterning. The thickness of the cable is determined by the engineer who calculates the reaction loads at the cable ends.
Clevis: Devise used with a cable stud end or a threaded rod to form a pinned connection that is somewhat adjustable.
Fabric: A woven cloth made of many yarns.
Fabric Clamp: Device for clamping the edge of a fabric panel, usually a bar or channel shape and made of aluminum or steel.
Flutter: Excessive, uncontrolled movement, usually caused by the interaction between the structure and wind. This occurs when the fabric lacks sufficient pre-stress.
Foundations (Footers): 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 working 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: The process of determining the equilibrium shape of a fabric structure.
Guy Cable: The steel cable is used to support the structural integrity of the steel frame. It may be attached at the end of the steel struts 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.ned inside the fitting and molten lead is poured into the fitting to secure the cable.
Keder: Brand name for the solid PVC cord used at a “rope edgeâ€. 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 natural light.
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.
Patterning: The process of defining two-dimensional pieces of fabric, which can be spiced together to form a desired three-dimensional shape.
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.
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.
Sleeve: A tube of fabric, which loosely contains a structural element such as a cable, rod, etc.
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.
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 branded T2 , Dupont’s PVF branded 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.
Wire Rope Clip: U-shaped bolt with special insert, specifically designed to clamp a wire rope to itself when forming a loop end for temporary cables.
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