1、The history of space frame structures
The space frame structure is the most commonly used structural form in the field of space structures because of its reasonable forces and ease of fabrication and installation. The hundred-year history of the development of space frame structures can be traced back to 1903, when the famous American inventor A. G. Bell (1847–1922) used triangular cone units to assemble space frames and applied them to the design of structures such as aircraft.
In 1943, German engineers proposed the MERO system, which initiated the commercial application of flat panel meshes; subsequently, Space Deck in the UK, Octe in the USA and Triodetic in Canada were marketed, further promoting the application of space mesh structures. since 1950, R. B. Fuller (1895–1983) has developed polyhedral grid dome structures and built a 67m diameter spherical dome structure for the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, USA.
In 1964, Spanish structural engineer Emilio Péreg Pinero (1936–1972) introduced the idea of a folded and unfolded grid structure, which was designed to be folded for transport efficiency and unfolded for building function during working hours. 108m, demonstrating the excellent spatial spanning capability of this type of structure.
In 1993, Z.S. Makowski (1922–2005), editor-in-chief of the international journal Space Structures, stated at the IASS conference that “space structures, which in 1966 were considered to be an interesting but still unfamiliar and unconventional structure, have now become accepted worldwide. Along with the development and maturity of the technology, space frame structures have been used in a large number of applications in the construction of venues for major international events such as the Tokyo National Arena, the main venue of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the Tokyo National Arena, the main venue of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Al Wasl Dome at the 2020 Dubai Expo.
