Material that stretches your imagination
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This relatively fragile but exquisite material, ubiquitously known as membrane structures, allows fabrication of fantastic rooflines.
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In vogue now: Membrane structures are catching the attention of builders.
The only limit is your imagination, and perhaps the budget. This high tensile, permanent, polyester-based fabric structure can be stretched along fantastic curves as roofs, which you couldn’t imagine doing with reinforced concrete or even steel.
A material that has been in the Western and the Middle-East markets for about 30 years, membrane structures are now beginning to catch the attention of Indian builders.
Because of the unique shapes they can be drawn into, membrane structures add a touch of class and a distinct identity to space.
On the flip side, they are very expensive and are permanent only in the sense that they will generally last for about five to 20 years, depending on the fabric quality you choose. But some types of membrane structures such as the teflon based ones are very tough and can last much longer. There are also fire-resistant membrane fabrics available.
The chief charm of this building fabric is the ambience it creates in space. With strategic lighting, they can be washed with different light sources to create spectacular colour effects. On the other hand, you can use their translucency to let in muted light into space.
As roofing material over the swimming pool, they cut down the glare without cutting out the wind and the light. They can also be used as roofs shading the entrance paths of bungalows, as roofing material for car parks, walkways and sitting areas in parks in a condominium, etc.
Membrane structures are also available in colour, and as readymade products like poolside umbrellas.
Wind velocity
Held in place by a frame of steel, membrane structures are supported by cables and masts.
The warp and weft of the fabric can take stress and the fabric is sturdy to the extent that it can stand the impact of wind, rain or even snow, and will not tear unless a knife is driven into it on purpose.
Erecting membrane structure roofs involves a high degree of design and calculations. You need to take into account the wind velocity, the climate of the area, etc, and the curves should not be such that they allow water to puddle up on it. They can also be designed as retractable structures which can be opened and closed.
Membrane structures come in different fabric bases such as nylon, polyester and glass based structures, with each type serving a different purpose and suited to a different context. They also come with a variety of coatings such as PVF, PVDF, acrylic and lacquers.
It is extremely important to read the fine print when opting for membrane structures. For instance, the HDP fabric type will keep out the glare of the sun but not the rain. It is a self-cleaning fabric in the sense that it is dust resistant (if you opt for the ones with a ply vinyl diethylene (PVDF) coating) and can be hosed down with water. Definitely on the expensive side, the cost of erecting these roofs works out to Rs.800 to Rs.1,100 per square foot, and the Teflon-based structures are even more expensive.
This is because it involves not just the material cost and the process of erecting it, but also the massive effort that goes into its design to ensure that the structure withstands the stress involved.
HEMA VIJAY
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