Influence surface analysis: Application to prestressed cable domes

Cable domes are tension domes, made of an assembly of prestressed cables in equilibrium with vertical struts and a perimeter beam. This paper introduces a new approach for efficient design of radial-type cable domes using influence surface analysis. The method has its basis on the Müller-Breslau Principle and the Principle of Virtual Work. A series of dome configurations were analyzed using the method and their behavior were compared. The results from the method were used to identify the critical load combinations for member designs. Particularly, domes vulnerable to wind uplift were easily recognized indicating the need for enhancement in prestressing forces. Influence surface analysis thus streamlines an otherwise cumbersome design process, thereby allowing for a substantially reduced design and computational effort.