1.General features.

Structural systems used in arch design

2. Solutions adopted for the design of arches
3. Shapes of the arches
4. Constructive details
5. Usual systems adopted
6. Design of the hinges on the supports and in apex crown of
the arch
7. Specific problems in the structural computation of arches
1. General features. Structural systems adopted in arch design
A. IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES OF
ARCHES
Large spans in average 80...100 m;
Low weight- economy in the steel
consumption;
Appreciated aesthetics in modern
architecture;
Favorable mechanism;
Efficient production-use of standard
sections on large scale;
Large possibilities of using advanced
computer aided design tools.

B. DIFFICULTIES IN THE DESIGN
Lack of specific rules for design in the
international steel codes;
The instability may be a major criteria
in arches design

Santiago Calatravas Bilbao footbridge
Olyimpic Stad-Athens Hassel Ethias
Static structures adopted:
a- static determinate: free standing arch;
b- hyper-static structures:
1) double hinged arch;
2) fully restraint ;
3) rigid connections in foundations and articulation at the key stone;
4) fixed or doubly hinged with sag-rod.

Implications of the static system adopted

Free standing arch: bigger deformations; intricate constructive details for the arch and for the roof in the
crown of the arch (rarely used).
Doubly articulated arch: simple execution; not influenced by the variations of temperature and the sunk of
the supports; the disadvantage is related to un-rational distribution of bending moments along the arch line.
Arch encased in the foundations: increased stiffness; more rational distribution of the bending moments
along the arch line; needs stronger foundations and the whole system is sensible to ground sinking
(settlements at the foundation level); a solution for weak soils- arch with sag-rod.
2. Solutions adopted for the design of arches
Various systems of lattice systems adopted for the cross section of arches
Solutions for arches in steel
with great spans and heights
3. Shapes of the arches
x p y = 2
2
chx
e e
y
x x
=
+
=

2
Parabola - drawn on the coincidence curved line of the uniform distributed load acting on a
horizontal line.
A very small ratio between the deflection and the span - parabola replaced by an arc of circle
without a significant modification on the internal efforts (mostly the bending moments). Arc of
circle is preferred from the point of view of assembling and mounting.
Stability criteria: The neutral axis of the arch must be situated between the two pressure curves
modeled by wind pressure; otherwise special measures to insure the stability of the arch must be
provided (both extreme fibers are in compression).
The deformations of N. A. of arches under wind pressure











4. Constructive details

A - hot-rolled cross section, beam or box;
B lattice beam, simply or double walled
Cross section is constant; variation is adopted in the case of very important spans. Shape of the arch
is rarely designed in a continuous line; generally is a polygonal line (several linear prefabricated units
assembled in site of 69 m length).
Heights of the cross section of arches depend on the solution adopted:
-arches with beam cross section: h= (1/50....1/80)l
-arches made of lattice systems: h= (1/30....1/60)l; the internal system adopted is
triangular with or without struts with the angle between the ties and the chord 40
0
...50
0

Plate girder is a solution sensitive to local buckling of the web under big axial efforts thick webs
and transversal stiffeners.
Steel sections used for arches
Geometry of the internal members f the arches; a)- triangular system; b)- triangular system with struts
4. Constructive details

A. Classic solution: roof cladding lays directly on the top chord of arches (L
T
=4...6 m) or on purlins
(L
T
=6...12 m); Longitudinal and transversal bracing- insure the collaboration between arches for
the effects of wind action and a general stiffness against lateral instability;
Purlins: hot-rolled sections, Castella beams, lattice girders; connections with the bottom chord insure
lateral stability of the arch.
Connections between the purlins and the arch elements:
a)- arches made of trusses; b)- arches made of plate girder sections
Purlins placed normal to the axis or the arch: they must
be interconnected with diagonals when the roof cover is
not rigid enough or not fixed continuously
Possibilities of placing the purlins in the classic solution
Position of purlins in the roof: a)- in vertical plane; b)- normal to the axis of the arch
Solution of purlins with ribs
Purlins placed normal to the N.A.:
I - weight of the roof cladding and snow transferred to purlins and to the structure of arch;
II- the tangent force in the plane of the roof (from self-weight and snow action) is taken by the ribs.

Ribs are multi-hinged arches; they collect the transversal forces from the crown of the arch to the
supports and sometimes the ribs have their own foundations.
The force normal to the plane of the roof is taken by the purlins.




Modern solutions: coupled arches transversally braced

The two arches and the transversal bracing act as space rigid frames.
Modern solutions: coupled arches and cantilevered purlins
The end parts of the purlins are knee braced and they are parts of the longitudinal bracing
in the plane of the roof

Bracing system of arches
Bracing system for the classic solution
adopted for the structure of arches
Bracing system for the solution with
coupled arches
5. Design of the hinges on the supports and in apex
Hinges in the supports of arches:
a)- with plates; b), c)- knee; d)- swing support
Hinges in the apex: a), b)- with plates; c)-
bolted; d)- with splices; e)- swing support


7. Specific problems in the structural computation of arches

Coefficients of the snow deposit
on the roof and wind pressure on
the structure of an arch
Double hinged arch-most frequent solution
Equilibrium of forces in hyper-static arches: a)- double hinge arch; b)- double hinged with tie-rod
Arch with parabolic shape
Variation of temperature in the N. A of the arch
0
1
= A + P X o

o
cos 1 ; 1
2 2
1
= =

=
} }
n y m
EA
ds n
EI
ds m
} }

+

= A
EA
ds n N
EI
ds m M
P
0 0
i i A
P x V M q =
0
sin sin
0
=
i A
P V N
cos
0
0
+ =
=
X N N
y X M M
0
1
=

+ A +
t
P
A E
l X
X o
0
cos 8 cos
8
2
2
=


= =

=
M
f
l q X
N
f
l q
X

}
A
=
l
ds
EI
y
t l
X
0
2
o
}
}

=
l
l
ds
EI
y
ds
EI
y M
X
0
2
0
0
h
t
I E EI M
1
0
A
= = o
e
Axial efforts in the members of the arch
Arch
Values of c for l/f equal with
0.05 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
With 3 hinges 1.2 1.2 1.22 1.35 1.48
With 2 hinges 1.00 1.10 1.22 1.35 1.48
Fully restraint 0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90
Axial efforts in the internal members of the arch
Instability patterns of arches
The verifications regarding instability are:
-verifications for lateral or flexural-torsional buckling;
-verifications for overall buckling.
critical axial force (Euler):
( )
2 2
/ s EI N
cr
= c t
-s- equal with half of the arch length; in the case when the
ratio l/f<5 (l, the span of the arch and f, the height), s will be
considered equal with l.
-c - tabulated values depending on the end restraints of the
arch (see table) and also on the ratio l/f.
Table 6. Values of the amplifying factor c

q
q
cos
T
D
h
M
h
N N
h
M
h
N N
i
i
s
s
=
=
+ =

2
sin +
+
+
= A
d
i s
i s
A
A A
N N
D
Axial efforts in the transversal bracing
Efforts in the internal members of the transversal bracing (wind on the gable)
i i i i i i
i
i
i i i i
tg T D N N
T
D T D

= =
= =
+
sin
cos
1
1 1 1
1 1
cos cos
+ + +
+ +
= =
+ =
i i i i i i i
i i i
W D D T T
W T T


=
i
j i
W W T
1
2 /

+
+
=
1
1
1
2 /
i
j i
W W T
Details of construction-arches worldwide
Foot springs
Arches of smaller dimensions with different destinations agriculture,
commerce, light industry
Olympic Sports Structures-Athens
Roofs for great stadiums
Churches
Airport Terminal Chek Lap Kok-Corea
Chicago Railway Station Terminal