Print this page DOME DESIGN: Neither Intricate Nor Difficult
Ruben A. Gomez, P.E.
Course Outline
Blended with the descriptive technical material there is the story of a simple but daring clock maker named Ed who decided to beat the odds and bring to fruition his lifetime dream of building a winterized concrete dome as his retirement home.
Along with computations and construction details, we have also made a journey into his mind’s decision making and have been able to pinpoint his good and bad decisions as lessons to be learned for the benefit of those who will follow in his footsteps, for it takes a particular character “to put it all on the table and do the unconventional”.
The pros and cons of dome construction are also openly given to help in making up the mind of the undecided. Hopefully Ed’s example will be imitated and followed by those who can realize the validity of the many pointers given along this course.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the completion of this course the reader will attain the following objectives:
- Understanding the lessons of the egg shape as a legacy of nature;
- How to motivate others to observe and uncover hints present everywhere around us;
- How to idealize the dome structure and turn it into an analytical model;
- The way to organize the calculations to be comprehensible to his peers;
- The final realization that the strength of the dome resides solely on its shape;
- To realize how to best assemble the dissimilar components of the shell, in such a way that they would act integrated as an unit; and
- To perceive and conceive the dome for what it really is, the only known structure capable of standing up to all acts of nature.
Intended Audience
This course is intended and suitable for practicing architects, builders and members of all engineering disciplines.
Benefit for Attendee
Persons taking this course will learn a simple and practical approach to dome design and to dispel what otherwise may appear as intricate and difficult to both the beginner and the seasoned practitioner.
Course Introduction
When an engineer engages in the design of linear or planar structures, the forces of nature work against him. On the other hand, when he/she designs shells and membranes the forces of nature become his strongest ally. Consequently, he is best served indeed when he learns and imitates the examples and lessons from Mother Nature.
In this course we follow the model given to us by the egg, to show in a way of analogy, the enormous strength that can be achieved by using the shell forms as compared those structural sections depending entirely on their flexural capacity to remain standing.
Course Content
The course content is contained in the following PDF file:
DOME DESIGN: Neither Intricate Nor Difficult
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Course Summary
In this course we have chosen the spherical dome for two reasons, it is the simplest to design and the simplest to layout and build because of its constant radius. A real life case was used as a prototype and the details and experiences have been candidly given without reservations and as they took place during the construction process.
Computation samples are presented using plain mathematics and trigonometry without the intricacies of differential equations or integral calculus as they abundantly appear in most of text books and treatises.
Related Links and References
For additional related technical information on this subject we recommend the latest edition of:
Thin Concrete Shells, A. M. Haas
Shells of Double Curvature, A. L. Parme
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
