Description Table of Contents Details Authors Reviews

Description

The word tensegrity results from the contraction of ‘tensional’ and ‘integrity’, a word created by Richard Buckminster Fuller. He went on to describe tensegrity structures as ‘islands of compression in an ocean of tension’, and René Motro has developed a comprehensive definition which is ‘systems in a stable self equilibriated system comprising a discontinuous set of compressed components inside a continuum of tensioned components’. This publication represents the life work of a leading exponent of a revolutionary and exciting method of structural design.

Key Features

* Represents the life work of a leading exponent of a revolutionary and exciting method of structural design * Applicable to architecture as an established structural system, can also be applied to other fields * Design professionals will be able to design better structures. Interested non-professionals will experience the great pleasure of being able to say "I understand why the Hisshorn tower stands up"

Readership

Civil and structural engineers, architects, artists, designers, and researchers and students of related disciplines

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2. History and definitions 2-1. Introduction 2-2. History 2-3. Definitions 2-4. Conclusion 3. Fundamental concepts 3-1. Introduction 3-2. Relational structure 3-3. Geometry and stability 3-4. Selfstress states and mechanisms 3-5. Conclusion 4. Typologies 4-1. Introduction 4-2. Typology criteria and codification 4-3. Elementary cells or “spherical cells” 4-4. Assemblies of cells 4-5. Conclusion 5. Models 5-1. Introduction 5-2. Problems to solve 5-3. Form finding 5-4. Selfstress and mechanisms 5-5. Selftress qualification 5-6. Designing tensegrity systems 5-7. Active control 5-8. Conclusion 6. Foldable tensegrities 6-1. Introduction 6-2. Folding principle 6-3. Foldable modules 6-4. Foldable assemblies 6-5. Folding design 6-6. Simulation of the folding process 6-7. Modelling the contact of two struts 6-8. Conclusion 7. Tensegrity: Latest And future developments 7-1. Introduction 7-2. New tensegrity grids 7-3. Other projects 7-4. Tensegrity as a structural principle 7-5. Conclusion 8. Bibliography 9. Appendices

Details

No. of pages:
280
Language:
English
Copyright:
© 2003
Published:
Imprint:
Butterworth-Heinemann
eBook ISBN:
9780080542348
Print ISBN:
9781903996379
Print ISBN:
9780080973135

About the author

René Motro

René Motro is a Professor at University Montpellier II. He is also Head of the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Laboratory and Head of the “Lightweight Structures for Architecture” research team at School of Architecture Languedoc Roussillon, both at University Montpellier II.

Affiliations and Expertise

Head of the Civil & Mechanical Engineering Laboratory and of the “Lightweight Structures for Architecture” research team at the School of Architecture Languedoc Roussillon, both at University Montpellier II

Reviews

To explain the importance of tensegrity, Mamoru Kawaguchi, President of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, writes in his review: ‘Foldable Tensegrities is a topic unique to this book, since it is a result of the author’s study for more than ten years. The information in this chapter may be helpful in research of deployable structures. In the final chapter on Actuality of Tensegrity he confirms that tensegrity is now applicable to architecture as an established structural system, while it can be applied to other fields as well.’ Stefan J. Medwadowski, Past President of the IASS, states in his review: ‘I am convinced that this volume will go a long way toward making the concept, the theory and the practicalities of tensegrity much more accessible. The design professionals will be able to design better structures. The interested non-professionals will experience the great pleasure of being able to say “I understand why the Hisshorn tower stands up”.’
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