Tensile structures are characterised by tension rather than compression – it’s the act of tensioning that keeps them stabilised. In contrast, conventional structures are kept stable by the action of gravity upon their mass, holding them in compression rather than tension.
Tensile structures tend to form curved or catenary shapes. A piece of fabric stretched in opposite directions is an example of a tensile structure. A suspension bridge is another.
Typical tensile structure applications involve the use of textile membranes and include shelters, building roofs or large tents, where the fabric is supported by cables or ropes. The Sidney Myer Bowl in Melbourne is an example of a membrane tensile structure.
