The Mechanical Properties of the New STFE Membrane Material and Its Application in Membrane Structures

STFE membrane is a new type of high-transparency building membrane material. This material combines the high tensile strength and tear strength of coated fabric membrane materials with the high transparency of polymer membrane materials, making it suitable for use in tension membrane structures that require a transparent effect. As a new imported membrane material, in order to be used in domestic building structure design, its mechanical properties need to be tested according to domestic standards. According to the “Standard for Inspection of Membrane Structures” (DG/TJ 08-2019-2019), six mechanical properties of STFE membrane were tested: tensile strength and elongation at break, tear strength, elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio, shear modulus, creep elongation, and connection strength. The test results showed that the tensile strength of STFE membrane in the warp direction was 4 241 N/(5 cm), and in the weft direction was 4 335 N/(5 cm); the tear strength in the warp direction was 809 N, and in the weft direction was 873 N; the elastic modulus in the warp direction was 1 512 kN/m, and in the weft direction was 2 352 kN/m; the shear modulus was 30.5 kN/m; the creep elongation in the warp direction was 0.85%, and in the weft direction was 0.73%; and the connection strength between membrane pieces at room temperature can reach 100% of the main material. To clarify the application scenarios of STFE membrane materials, this article introduces the current applications of this material in some new building and building renovation projects both domestically and internationally, including metro pedestrian road cover at Istanbul International Airport, temporary venues for Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Grand Palais, canopy walkway at CrossBrent station in London, lounge rooftop renovation at Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in London(Horatio's garden), landscape pavilion at Melbourne Mpavillion, and shading pavilion at Foshan Boai Lake Park. In tensile membrane structures, welding connections are important components. Referring to the STFE membrane material technical guide, this article introduces various forms of high-frequency welding connections in such structures, including membrane-to-membrane connections, membrane-to-edge cable connections, membrane-to- coated fabric membrane connections, and multi-layer membrane clamping plate mechanical connections. Through the above measurements of the mechanical parameters of STFE membrane material and a brief introduction to its applications and connection methods in structures, certain references are provided for the promotion and application of this type of membrane material in China.