Concrete Domes

Published 18 Dec 2019

Concrete Dome Structures and Extreme Wind Loads: The Design of Community Shelters

Figure 1: Dale Oklahoma Storm Shelter / Cafeteria.

By Andrew South & Chris Zweifel

Public agencies are investing in the development of community shelters as resilient structures to provide a place of refuge for citizens during extreme wind events. An analysis of code-based design parameters for traditional assembly type dome structures is contrasted with an analysis of design parameters required by the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) document 361—“Design and Construction Guidance for Community Safe Rooms.” It demonstrates that the factors governing the code-based design of thin-shell domes are such that an extension of FEMA 361 compliance requires a marginal increase compared to alternate building types. … read more

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Monolithic Domes

Cutaway diagram of finished Monolithic Dome.

The Monolithic Dome is a thin shell, insulated concrete structure used worldwide for homes, schools, safe rooms, gymnasiums, bulk storages, churches and more. The first Monolithic Dome was built 50 years ago. Thousands have been built across the globe. The technology is not new, it is proven. In a world with more natural disasters than ever, and rising costs for utilities, Monolithic Domes have a foothold in the mainstream. … read more

Adoption of Air-Supported Forms for Thin-Shell Concrete Structures: Understanding Uses, Benefits, and Barriers to Scale

By Andrew South & Evan Bingham

With an almost 100-year history of development, it is estimated that the air-supported forming processes has been used to construct over 10,000+ structures, 2,500–3,000 structures across the globe in the last 40 years. Although significant, this number remains proportionately small compared to other structure types. Drawing from a database of over 1,000 structures, this paper outlines a research agenda of continued practical inquiry into market adoption. … read more

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