Art of Construction

Unit 14: Barrels, Dishes, Butterflies, Bicycle Wheels and Eggs

Parts of a Bicycle Roof: tension rings, cables, spreaders, compression rings
"...roofs have been built with one outer compression ring and two inner
tension rings, one set above and the other below the outer ring. Two sets of
tensed radial cables, kept separate by spreaders, connect the two inner
rings to the outer ring. Such roofs are called bicycle-wheel roofs."

p. 123 Art of Construction

next page
Unit Navigation Unit 1: From Cave to Skyscraper Unit 2: Building a Tent Unit 3: What is a Beam? Unit 4: What Do We Build Structures With? Unit 5: The Floor of Your Room Unit 6: A Steel Frame Unit 7: Part of a Building You Don't See Unit 8: What Tornadoes, Earthquakes, and Temperature Can Do Unit 9: How to Fight Tornadoes and Earthquakes Unit 10: Ropes and Cables Salvadori Center Unit 13: Shape and Strength Unit 14: Barrels, Dishes, Butterflies, Bicycle Wheels and Eggs Unit 12: Strings and Sticks Unit 11: Sticks and Stones Unit 15: Balloons...and Back to the Tent