Air support structures - structures that are not inferior in many technical indicators to capital structures. At the same time, such products have high mobility, ease of installation. Let’s find out how air support structures and structures are installed, what elements they consist of?
What are air support structures?
Such structures in the vast majority have the appearance of a dome, which consists of an airtight membrane. The shape of the structure is supported by the formation of excess pressure in the internal space with the help of a special heat ventilation installation. Thus, a supporting force is created, which acts as a kind of support for the entire dome and gives it stability.
Inflatable air support structures have an air gap, where a stream of warm air is also pumped. As a result, excellent heat-insulating qualities of the structure are provided.
The outer shell of the dome is fixed at the base of the structure using anchor fasteners. Thanks to the use of such kind of fastenings, it is possible to mount air support structures on asphalt surfaces, roofs of houses.
Fields of application
Currently, air support structures are successfully operated when it is necessary to organize indoor sports grounds. Such temporary structures are also irreplaceable during exhibitions, during the preparation of trading floors.
Air support structures are often used as inflatable shelters for pools, tennis courts.
Design Features
Air support structures, photos of which are presented in this material, consist of the following elements:
- dome;
- access system;
- anchor circuit;
- ventilation units ;
- Lightning equipment.
Design
The construction of air support structures needs preliminary project development. At this stage, computer graphic
modeling of the future dome is being implemented. As a result, designers are given the opportunity to conduct a series of simulations of the behavior of the structure under seismic loads, gusts of wind of varying strength, exposure to snow and rain. At the design stage, the optimal temperature regime in the inner cavity of the dome is also determined based on the climatic conditions in which the structure will be operated.
When selecting fasteners for fixing the structure in a static position, soil features are taken into account. Based on the results of engineering calculations and graphic modeling, the optimal components are selected for the assembly of a reliable air support structure.
In addition to calculating the outer shell of the dome, the development of the project also includes the selection of suitable heating and ventilation equipment, systems for providing the structure with electricity, lighting.
The material of the outer coating
Air support structures contain a shell in the form of a solid polyvinyl chloride fabric, which has reinforcing inserts. The material is impregnated with a substance that protects it from fire. The power threads of the reinforcing stacks here are interlaced in a special way, which eliminates the rupture of the stressed sections of the dome both under the influence of excessive internal pressure and strong sharp gusts of wind.
The PVC fabrics that make up the air support structures are treated with unique chemical compounds that protect the dome from UV radiation, microorganisms, excess moisture, and drying out. The material used is resistant to the formation of a layer of contaminants and is easily cleaned with ordinary water.
Mounts
Overpressure is created under the dome of the structure. Therefore, inflatable air-supported sports facilities tend to tear themselves away from the base. To prevent this, the structure is fixed around the
perimeter by an anchor
system . Among other things, fixing the structure with such fasteners helps to save heat inside the dome.
Fixation of the structure of the air support structure can occur in the following ways:
- Anchor metal screws connected to the PVC sheath are screwed into the soil base at intervals of 0.5-1 m.
- As an alternative to anchors, water filling tanks or concrete blocks are used that perform similar functions due to their weight.
Discharge unit
The presented element is used to supply air under the dome of the structure. The supercharger not only maintains a consistently high pressure level. Special burners are used here, which heat the air, providing comfortable conditions inside the structure.
Pressure plants that are used to service air support structures have the function of changing the pressure level and space temperature. Such units can be placed both outside the structure and in the technical room specially designed for these purposes under the dome.
Access system
It is presented in the form of lock holes in the coating material of the air support structure, which play the role of entrances and exits. The latter provide free access for people to the inside of the structure and at the same time prevent the loss of pumped pressure, the exit of warm air. Such temporary structures are often equipped with large-sized technical locks, which allow you to import large-sized equipment under the dome.
Lighting
As lighting equipment, powerful halogen spotlights are most often used here , which are mounted around the perimeter of the dome. Such lighting is supplemented by a system of electric cables. Changing the functions of the spotlights occurs from the control panel.
Repair of air support structures
When breaking through the outer coating of air support structures, in order to restore it, webs made of the same material are used. To fix such patches on damaged areas, adhesive solutions based on polyurethane are used. Damages that have an area of more than 1 m are repaired by overlapping pieces of material with an overlap of at least 10 cm on each edge.
In preparation for restoration of the coating, PVC patches are cleaned of contaminants, treated with degreasing agents - ethyl acetate or acetone. Then the canvases that are used to seal up the damaged areas of the dome are smeared several times with glue with interruptions of approximately 20 minutes.
At the end of the patch, they are superimposed on the previously cleaned sections of the structure's cover and rolled tightly. The surface is heated to 70-80 ° C, after which it is ground with a piece of fluoroplastic or a polished wooden bar.
Benefits
Air-supporting sports facilities and general-purpose structures differ in the following advantages:
- Mobility - installation of temporary buildings of a presented nature can be performed on almost any flat site. If necessary, the materials are collected and transferred to a new place within a few days. Thus, air support structures and structures, examples of which can be seen in this material, are easily transported based on the needs of the business.
- Compactness - the dimensions of such temporary structures when folded are not more than 0.5% of the dimensions of the structure in the installed position.
- Long service life - the durability of the structures of this plan, with a careful approach to operation, is several decades.
- Ease of maintenance - for the operation of the air support structure, several specialists are enough who repair the dome as necessary, monitor the maintenance of the optimum temperature and pressure in the middle of the structure.
- Ease of obtaining permits - the type of structures in question belongs to the category of temporary buildings. Therefore, for their installation does not require complex examinations, as well as the design of a whole package of papers for construction. All this greatly simplifies the procedure for obtaining permission to install the structure when contacting the relevant state organizations.
Eventually
As you can see, air support structures are an extremely convenient solution when it is necessary to organize large-scale public events. Their installation is much cheaper compared to the preparation of frame or capital structures. Low weight, resistance to weathering, creation of comfortable conditions for users, safe operation - this is just an insignificant list of factors that contribute to increased demand for such designs.