Comprehensive Comparison of Steel Framed Fabric and Conventionally Constructed Aircraft Hangars Justin M
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Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT Scholar Theses and Dissertations Student Graduate Works 3-23-2018 Comprehensive Comparison of Steel Framed Fabric and Conventionally Constructed Aircraft Hangars Justin M. Iungerich Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.afit.edu/etd Part of the Civil Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Iungerich, Justin M., "Comprehensive Comparison of Steel Framed Fabric and Conventionally Constructed Aircraft aH ngars" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 1894. https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/1894 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Graduate Works at AFIT Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of AFIT Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON OF STEEL FRAMED FABRIC AND CONVENTIONALLY CONSTRUCTED AIRCRAFT HANGARS THESIS Justin M. Iungerich, Capt, USAF AFIT-ENV-MS-18-M-211 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the United States Government. This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. AFIT-ENV-MS-18-M-211 COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON OF STEEL FRAMED FABRIC AND CONVENTIONALLY CONSTRUCTED AIRCRAFT HANGARS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Systems Engineering Management Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and Environmental Management Justin M. Iungerich, BS Captain, USAF March 2018 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT-ENV-MS-18-M-211 COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON OF STEEL FRAMED FABRIC AND CONVENTIONALLY CONSTRUCTED AIRCRAFT HANGARS Justin M. Iungerich, BS Captain, USAF Committee Membership: Dr. Diedrich Prigge Chair Dr. Elias Toubia, P.E. Member Dr. Anthony Palazatto, P.E. Member Capt. Ricardo Basora, P.E. Member AFIT-ENY-MS-18-M-211 Abstract Through the life of the United States Air Force (USAF), the accepted method for constructing permanent aircraft hangars is the use of materials such as steel and concrete. However, the emerging type of construction known as steel framed fabric (SFF) construction shows potential to meet the requirements of the USAF at a lower life-cycle cost and with faster construction delivery. A comprehensive comparison to conventional hangars is conducted through the means of an extensive literature review, case study analysis, structural analysis with the use of finite element analysis (FEA) software, and a life-cycle cost comparison. Through examination of Department of Defense (DoD) Unified Facility Criteria, industry building codes, and best practices, there are no significant barriers keeping the USAF/DoD from constructing SFF hangars. The FEA of a simplified SFF model reinforced that fabric membranes can provide equal, if not more, structural safety in comparison to conventional hangar claddings. This research recommends the USAF implement SFF hangars as an alternative to conventional construction for new aircraft hangar projects. By investing in SFF, the USAF will save considerable costs to the US taxpayer. Shorter construction delivery times will allow commanders more flexibility in mission bed-down. Lastly, reduced maintenance concerns typical of SFF hangars will lessen the burden on facility maintenance personnel. iv Acknowledgments I would like to show my gratitude to my thesis advisor Dr. Diedrich Prigge. His guidance and candid feedback was invaluable in the development of this paper. I would also like to thank the committee that helped develop different areas of the research: Dr. Elias Toubia, from the University of Dayton’s Structural Engineering department, and Dr. Anthony Palazatto, from the Air Force Institute of Technology, who instructed me on Finite Element Modeling techniques essential for the analyses performed in this research. I would, also, like to thank my sponsor, Mr. Benjamin Kindt, from the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Facilities Engineering Directorate for both the support and latitude provided to me in this endeavor. Capt Justin Iungerich v Table of Contents Page Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... vi Table of Figures ............................................................................................................... viii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... xi I. Introduction .....................................................................................................................1 General Issue ................................................................................................................1 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................5 Research Objectives/Questions/Hypotheses ................................................................7 Research Focus .............................................................................................................9 Methodology...............................................................................................................10 Assumptions/Limitations ............................................................................................12 Implications ................................................................................................................12 Outline of Chapters.....................................................................................................13 II. Literature Review ..........................................................................................................14 Chapter Overview .......................................................................................................14 Brief History and Description of Fabric Structures ....................................................15 Design Comparison ....................................................................................................22 Comparison of Construction Methods........................................................................35 Commercially Available Fabric Material ...................................................................45 III. Methodology ...............................................................................................................50 Chapter Overview .......................................................................................................50 Instrumental Case Study .............................................................................................50 Structural Analysis .....................................................................................................55 Life Cycle Cost Analysis ............................................................................................58 IV. Analysis and Results ...................................................................................................61 Chapter Overview .......................................................................................................61 Results of Case Study .................................................................................................61 Results of Structural Analysis ....................................................................................74 Results of Life Cycle Cost Analysis ...........................................................................89 V. Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................91 Chapter Overview .......................................................................................................91 vi Conclusion ..................................................................................................................94 Recommendations for Action .....................................................................................95 Recommendations for Future Research ....................................................................100 Appendix A: LCCA Input and Output .............................................................................101 Appendix B: Design Load Calculations ..........................................................................106 Appendix C: Fabric Membrane Specifications ................................................................113 Appendix D: Case Study Interview Responses ...............................................................115 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................135 vii List of Figures Figure Page 1. Top image shows scrim with woven yarns of the warp and fill directions. Bottom image shows a typical cross section of a tensile fabric with the arrangement of coatings and scrim (Huntington C. G.,