Support I Materialise

Alexander Reichel, Reichel Architekten BDA, Kassel; Kerstin Schultz, liquid architekten, Hochschule Darmstadt.

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1. Introduction to the subject
- The cultural history of load-bearing structures
- Prospects, visions (mega-structures, flexible structures, dismantling/reconstruction, new materials)

1.2 Building site
- regional, topographical features (climate, surroundings, neighbourhood)

1.3 Building
Which load-bearing structure is suitable for which purposes: scale and uses: hall buildings, housing construction, office construction?

1.4 The design quality of bearing structures
The difference between visible and non-visible bearing structures

1.5 Bearing structures
- Overview of bearing structures: from linear (shell) to two-dimensional (wall, ceiling) structures
- Principles underlying bearing structures - foundations, support, bracing
- Components - support, wall, ceiling

1.6 Static systems
- Criteria favouring a specific bearing structure: advantages and disadvantages
- shell construction (cross-wall structures?), slab construction, hall building, space frames, shells, hybrid structures, tensile structures, membranes / foils / textiles

1.7 Demands placed on material properties
- Transfer of tensile forces, pressure, bending stress
- Spans, apertures, maximum sizes
- Deflexion, jointing [Fugen]/grooves [Nuten]??
- Preservation of structures (fire protection, soundproofing, etc.)

- Integration of services

1.8 Sustainability
- Use, extension, (general definitions)
- Maintenance, servicing, longevity, extension/addition, conversion/new use, disassembly, dismantling, recycling
- Manufacture + waste disposal, environmental compatibility (general definitions, comparison of building materials)
Primary energy requirement, use of resources, damage to environment by harmful substances, life cycle
- Cost effectiveness and costs (general definitions, building materials / comparison of bearing systems)
- Production costs

2^nd Chapter Structural types

2.1. Wall construction (including cross-wall construction and slab construction)

Presentation of bearing systems (loads, bearing structures, bracing)
- Walls (focus on load-bearing walls; difference to non-bearing walls)
- Ceilings, main beams, suspender beams

Realisation (as relating to the walls and ceilings?)
Masonry (bricks, concrete blocks...)
- Reinforced concrete
- Connections/drawings

- (Connection of the individual elements, layer structure, connections, wall floor ceiling, each between the same and different materials???

2.2 Shell structures (including half-timber structures)
- Bearing systems (loads, bearing structures, bracing)

- Building elements, function/role: supports, reinforcing elements (core, ceilings, walls, cables...), girders (including truss girders in this case), in-fills between the building elements, walls and ceilings

Realisation: Steel, reinforced concrete, wood

- Connections/drawings: Joining of individual parts, layered construction, connections, wall floor ceiling, each between the same and different materials???

2.3 Special forms
- Hybrid (definition of a hybrid here: Combination of different support systems - distinguished from combinations of materials that act as bearing elements, e.g. Reinforced concrete, structural wood building...)
- shell construction
- a hall building
- space frames
- cable-net
- membranes
- bridges

3^rd Chapter Examples (8-10 Projects)

- Shell construction: reinforced concrete, wood, steel
- Wall construction method: reinforced concrete, masonry, cross-wall construction

4. Chapter Appendix
- References to standards and guidelines (selection)
- Associations
- Links
- Secondary literature
- Tables
- Manufacturers
- Photo credits/acknowledgements