European Harmonized Design for Membrane Structures

Abstract

Numerous activities of the last years to harmonize and standardize design procedures for membrane structures made from structural textiles or foils lead to a new European standard expected to be published in 2022: CEN/TS 19102 “Design of tensioned membrane structures”. This document is a milestone on the path to a Eurocode for membrane structures. First time it provides unified design rules harmonized among many experts in the field across Europe. It covers coated and uncoated fabrics as well as foils, mechanically as well as pneumatically prestressed structures. Ultimate and serviceability limit state approaches are based on the concepts of EN 1990. The new standard gives the frame for materials and their requirements, static verification of materials and connections, and it defines required experimental tests. It is also planned to provide execution rules together with the design rules in order to ensure reliable and safe membrane structures. This contribution gives an overview of the new standard and shows the approaches by means of examples.