Structures are normally grouped into three being solid, frame, and shell. When the three forms are combined you can get what we call complex structures. Well to help you understand the three forms of structures, here you get to get a definition of each of the forms, examples of each, and their advantages.
Solid structures
Solid structures are almost in every area where you get to lay your eyes. If you have wooden telephone poles in your home or neighborhood. They form part among the several examples of solid structures. Also, among the greatest manmade water sources being dams are supported by solid structures made out of concrete. The best part about solid structures is that good workmanship can result in long-lasting structures that will be around for years. The sole purpose of solid structures is to support loads. For dams, for example, their bottom is usually filled with a very thick layer of concrete. It is because of the thick layer of concrete that the water gets to stay in the dam.
Frame structures
The beauty of most buildings including your home is highly dependent on frame structures. Frame structures are dependent on a skeleton of materials. These skeletons of material offer each support. One outstanding feature about frame structures is that the various parts of the framework together to resist forces. When compared with solid structures, frame structures are much lighter. It makes sense why solid structures most times are placed at the bottom. Frame structures are no meant for load support Frame structures are usually used alongside membranes usually thrown over the frame but the purpose of the membrane is not to support loads. If you have always been wondering how a certain building was able to take a certain shape let’s say oval. Well, with the use of frame structures this is made possible.
Shell structures
Do you have a bicycle helmet? Then the structure which your helmet takes is known as a shell structure. This is the simplest definition a frame structure can be given in an example. Simply put, for a structure to qualify as a shell it has to be hollow and curved. The shell structure is often very light but very strong. The protective role which helmets play is because of their shell structure which apart from the shape being meant to fit the shape of the head. Also, the shell structure makes it very strong.
Combination structures
When all the structures are put together, they get to give the best results. Therefore solid, frame, and shell structures used together are regarded as combination structures. Take an example of your house for example. What follows is the frame structure, which usually supports a shell, bricks, and concrete, all dependent on your preference or the expertise your builder wants to use. If you approach a builder today some of the information they will feed you on is about shell building construction.
Also, there are builders whose main specialization happens to be shell building construction, this is because they have a great level of expertise when it comes to working with shell structures.
Most structures you see around you are a combination of structures. Your car for example is made up of frames and shells. It has a metal frame that gets to support plastic or metal. The bridge you drive on when you cross a river to your home is a combination of solid and shell structures. If you check well you will realize that the bottom part of the bridge is a solid structure made of concrete supporting a metal which is a frame structure. To top the list, your human skeleton is also a combination of frames.
