Your Tensile Specialist

Written By Lauri

Few permanent-structure experts (such as Architects and Structural Engineers) have the need for a permanent team who specialise in tensile structures and / or roof components or highly technical fabric membranes. When you are managing a project that has a specialist tensile component, SSL provides these specialist services and software, on a project basis.

SSL’s expertise is in all areas of structural engineering with emphasis on lightweight, temporary and portable works; specialist skills in the field of portable and membrane structures and in the design and deployment of innovative specialist access systems. This expertise applies throughout the cycle of your project, from concept to completion.


FEASIBILITY & DESIGN Services

  • Feasibility Studies:

    • Providing an accurate appraisal of technical and economic risks associated with bespoke projects, allowing the client the security of working with known parameters.

    • Feasibility studies usually include work that is required in most eventualities, therefore saves, rather than increases costs.

  • Design Analysis

    • Tensegrity specialists – working on structures where all members are in tension, and structures with some elements in compression and some in tension.

    • Shape / Form-Finding & Patterning.

    • See Structure Design >

  • Specialist software experts:

    • Specialist software suites enabling analysis of fabric membranes, to calculate wind speeds and pressures, and snow loading.

      • E.g. output for 5 load cases simulating different wind directions, uplift and downforce, cable, mast and membrane forces.

    • Calculating varying loads and potential displacements of the structure’s components.

    • Structural analysis on all forms of unusual and mobile constructions.

    • Simulating the nonlinear behaviour of structural fabrics.

    • Industry-leading software and project-tested, proven calculations. More about our specialist software >

  • Materials exploration, including traditional materials such as steel, aluminium, wood and glass and contemporary-use materials, such as composites and bamboo.

  • Creating inspiring project visuals:

    • Conceptual Modelling.

    • Rendered visuals.

    • 2D + 3D CAD drawings.

    • Animated fly-throughs.

    • Art Direction and graphic design.


MANUFACTURING CONSULTATION

  • Manufacturing guidance and best-practice.

  • Bill of materials, component lists, costs analysis, budget preparation, etc.

  • Access years of experience in planning of membrane structures / membrane roof elements, e.g.:

    • Consultation on costs offset, e.g., reduced maintenance, translucent roof daylight electricity savings, etc.

    • Ascertaining and selecting correct membrane materials in the interests of best performance, under a wide variety of environmental conditions, to benefit whole-of-life costs.

  • Quality standards:

    • Of goods / materials chosen, suitable for purpose with design and usage-life as the primary consideration.

    • Effective inspection methods, ensuring compliance.

    • Manufacturer warranties.

    • Material property testing.

  • Structural steelwork specifications.

  • Surface finishes analysis and specification.

  • Type and quality of fixings.

 

PLANNING

  • Legal responsibilities for building structures under UK and EU law.

  • Providing the Planning Supervisors or CDM Coordinators role, according to the CDM (Construction Design and Management) Regulations 2015 for event, civil and structural engineering projects.

  • Representing you as your CDM Principal Designer, keeping in mind your commercial considerations of time and cost.

  • Health & Safety / Licensing: occupancy levels, exit and entry requirements, licensing, crowd control, Local Authority and government regulations.

  • Legislation, law, and liabilities relating to the outdoor event industry.

  • Planning considerations.

TESTING AND REPORTING

  • See On-Site Inspection + Testing >

  • Testing of Temporary Demountable Structures (strength of components, anchors etc.).

  • Expert witness for legal and loss adjustment / insurance.

  • Spend analysis.

TENSILE ROOF SPECIALISM

For those adding a tensile roof in a permanent construction.

  • Consultancy

  • Shape-finding / form-finding

  • Initial design consultation

  • Certification

  • Stats / calcs

All Suitable for:

  • The permanent Construction Industry, working with Architects, Structural Engineer, Builders, etc… :

    • Tensile Roofs.

    • Fabric Structure design.

    • Air Structures.

    • Cable Net structures.

    • Grid Shells.

    • Temporary works (including innovative access systems).

  • The Temporary Event sector:

    • Event Venues.

    • Demountable Seating.

    • Exhibition Trailers.

    • Exhibition Set Design.

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Structural Certification