Design, construction and monitoring of an ice composite shell structure

Experimental Form-finding: A review

“…To enhance the structural properties, a cable net was integrated into the inflatable membrane. Because the membrane has to be smoothly released to leave only the ice dome, the bottom foundations are simple, with only the cable net attached to it [10].…”

“…Inflated sailcloth cushions provide flexible reinforcement for the concrete shell. Shotcrete is sprayed on the inflated formwork resulting in a solid and stable structure [10]. Swiss engineer Heinz Isler in the 1950s worked with extending these concepts through physical models of free-form shell roofs.…”

“…The derived forms were then frozen and finally inverted. Every winter, he conducted experiments by freezing a fabric or spraying water over objects like plants, inflated balloons, hanging ropes [10] [4]. During the 60-ties Italian architect, Dante Bini developed and patented a curious construction technique that leveraged the form-finding process to erect RC domes rapidly.…”

Sublimation of composite ice and its influence on performance of ice shells

“…As a kind of thin shell structure, the long-span composite ice shell is highly sensitive to the change of its section thickness, and the small change of thickness may have great influence on its mechanical performance. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, 4 with the continuous sublimation, the ice loss on the surface leads to the gradual thinning of the thickness of the structure and the change of its shape. In severe cases, it may cause the perforation damage of the structure during the service period.…”

“…1,2 The fiber reinforced ice (FRI) 3 is widely used in ice composite shell in cold regions. The ice composite structure is formed by mixing a certain proportion of pulp fibers in water to form a homogeneous composite aqueous solution, and then spraying and freezing in low temperature environment through aerated membrane template 4 and spray construction technology. As a kind of thin shell structure, the long-span composite ice shell is highly sensitive to the change of its section thickness, and the small change of thickness may have great influence on its mechanical performance.…”