EWPAA Structural Plywood and LVL Design Manual - Engineered ...

12 Exotic Structural Forms12.1 IntroductionThe purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the flexibility of plywood and LVL as a building constructionmedium. It provides basic design information to allow the designer the opportunity to investigate thefeasibility of the chosen structural form as a viable solution at the preliminary design stage.If this preliminary investigation proves the structural form to be a viable design solution a rigorous analysismay be required. The availability of sophisticated finite element computer programs will facilitate this need.An appealing feature of plywood and LVL when used as constructional materials is their ability to be easilyworked into a multiplicity of simple or complex shapes. By taking advantage of this ease of working andinherent manoeuvrability it is possible to produce highly efficient and aesthetically pleasing structuralsystems capable of spanning large column free spaces.Many exotic timber structures have been designed and built throughout the world, in particular, in NorthAmerica and the United Kingdom. The Tacoma Dome, completed in 1983, and having a clear spanningdiameter of 162 m, is worthy of mention.The structural forms considered in this chapter are:• folded plates;• arches;• hyperbolic paraboloids (hypars);• domesIt is hoped by including these more exotic structural forms in the Manual will provide architects anddesigners with the incentive to expand their creative skills beyond the pedestrian into the exciting.12.2 Folded PlatesIntroductionFolded plate plywood and LVL structural systems, using stressed skin construction, offer the designer awide range of aesthetically pleasing solutions.FIGURE 12.1 illustrates some interesting structural forms capable of being produced through theinterconnection of folded plates.159