Space grid structures
The advantages and disadvantages of using space grids
There are many benefits to be gained from the use of space grid structures, including structural efficiency, reduced deflections, integration of services, resilience, ease of construction, and regularity.
Brief history and development of systems
Alexander Graham Bell may be considered the first to construct modular space grids.
Deployable, folding and retractable space grids
A recent development in space grid structures has been the use of deployable, folding and retractable systems.
Examples of the use of space grids
The following examples illustrate the use of different space grid structures.
General construction details
The main considerations for the detailed design of bars, members, modules, nodes and joints are material properties, element structural behaviour and dimensional accuracy. Other issues which must be considered include support details, cladding systems, site construction.
Grid configurations
Regular shaped grids are considered to be more economical but there are only three regular polygons that can be used to fill a plane (the equilateral triangle, square and hexagon).
