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Technical advances in lightweight structure design.

Rudi_Enos_Design The tragic happenings in the summer of 2011 have focused the music industry on the issues of temporary structure design. All safety engineering comes down to a few basic truths; Is that hand rail strong enough to hold a crowd?, Is that length of truss strong enough to suspend the rig?, Are those fire exits and exit distances enough to evacuate the venue safely?. All of these issues require calculation. To undertake the calculations for crowd emergency exit requirements, it is possible to do so by hand or mentally, or use a simple spreadsheet. When analysing complex trussing systems or complete structures those tools are often inadequate. The modern engineer uses software tools such as FEA Packages (Finite Element Analysis) which break down the load requirements and graphically show the range of forces when compared to the member properties. This is often called Numeric Analysis. Basic Finite Element Theory (You may wish to skip this paragraph, it is a bit technical). Perhaps FEA ought to be called Finite Element Analysis and Simulation software. The software breaks down the components of the assembly into small (finite) parts and calculates the result of applying a simulated load. This finite part of the calculation then acts upon all other parts of the object being modelled. Within each of these modelling schemes, the software uses numerous algorithms (functions) which may make the system behave linearly or non-linearly. Linear systems are far less complex and generally do not take into account plastic deformation. Non-linear systems do account for plastic deformation, and many also are capable of testing a material all the way to fracture. To conclude, modern software takes real world problems, investigates the potential forces, tests and analyses the suitability of the materials and member sizes for the intended project. Traditionally the engineer defines the operating parameters for the intended structure, determines member sizes (usually steel or aluminium tube for say, trussing or a stage deck), check connection parts such as pins or bolts (connections simply must be stronger than the component), and determine the overall the stability of the project, usually by bracing. For an outdoor stage roof, this will involve applying the wind load from the relevant building code, in the case of a temporary structure, BS EN 13782:2005, Temporary structures. Tents. Safety. For the first time, engineers have a set of rules, enforceable by law that give direct instruction on wind loadings. Before 13782 engineers had to determine wind speeds and loads from (in the UK) National Building Codes), or by wind tunnel tests on representative models.

Change the wind load, it changes everything. All of these are separate operations often using several different software suites. If some parameters change, the whole process using different packages must be repeated. Once the wind loads are arrived at, the software applies the forces (in a virtual wind tunnel) by calculating the pressure co-efficient for each finite polygon of the software mesh representing the roof surface and indeed the wind forces on the trussing and or supports. The components of the structure are then shown in their displaced state (showing the distortion under load), and the output forces of every part of the structure shown. In 2011, new software has been introduced which is purpose built to provide the ultimate design aide for temporary structures. Some of the numeric matrix solvers were licensed from NASA. The software provides a unified approach to analysis which integrates all of the previously separate processes, often using predetermined element libraries. The program provides engineers with everything they need for the design and optimisation of roof, cable and steel structural systems. It provides a series of tools which simulate wind loads (although it is not a virtual wind tunnel, called CFD, Computational Fluid Dynamics), and automatically loads the structure, undertakes the static analysis at the touch of a button, and automatically provides the member sizing to determine the support design. After this, the software breaks down the three dimensional surface (if required) into two dimensional flat cutting patterns for manufacture based upon a given fabric width. The conclusion to all this preamble is that event industry professional has a vastly better set of tools to assess the potential performance of temporary structures. That means that a more informed approach can be made which can only improve the performance of the structure. Technology alone can not provide the impetus to change for the better but can provide the same sort of improvements that many advances from the space age have produced. The temporary structures market has seen similar if less obvious changes. The structures are inherently safer than their 1990 equivalent. Modern structures use many new materials and technologies to deliver a product and service that is at the cutting edge of what the events industry can supply. The use of computer design and analysis software to predict the performance of temporary structures matches the practice of many engineering offices in the aerospace and motor racing industries. We have the tools to deliver safer, better structures. What is required is the willpower to implement new work practices and inspection techniques to match those advances. It is for the events industry to provide the willpower.

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