STRUCTURAL GLASS FACADES - USC School of Architecture

Solving for cable force, the additional input variables to those provided through the
FacadeDesigner front end (span, grid module, wind load) are cable diameter and pre-tension
forces. The output is deflection in inches and as a ratio (L/d), and the maximum cable forces,
which represent the reaction loads into the anchoring building structure.
Solving for cable pre-tension forces, the input variables are cable diameter and deflection
criteria (L/d). The output is pre-tension cable forces, deflection in inches and maximum cable
forces.
Double-curved cable nets will require the additional input of sag as a function of cable
curvature. Form-finding will have to be reintroduced to the modified DR module as described
above, and the analysis tuned to the new parameters. This will require some significant effort
and is left for future work.
Other Structure Types: Chapter 6 discusses structure types not included here such as
space frames and tensegrity structures. These may be considered for future work, but there
application is currently very limited. There may be some interesting future potential for
tensegrity structures; the form-finding and analysis is challenging, but has been the focus of
much attention in the engineering community.
7.4.2 GlassDesigner
The GlassDesigner module is intended to provide preliminary analysis of the glass panel to
determine deflection and required thickness. The basic calculations required for this are
relatively simple. Integrating the user interface into FacadeDesigner.com would be the
interesting challenge. The basic structure of the website and modular organization provide a
number of opportunities to facilitate this work.
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