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Quizzical Pursuit
—The Architecture Puzzler
Created by Dave Guadagni
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Solution to Last Week's Puzzler
Architecture Puzzler #35
Question
The ratio of span to thickness in a thin-shell concrete dome is so high that these concrete shells have often been compared to egg shells. How similar are the actual ratios between concrete shells and egg shells?
Answer
An 8-inch (20-centimeter) concrete dome might span 200 feet (60 meters), giving a span-to-thickness ratio of 300. This is 10 times thinner than an eggshell with its ratio of about 30.
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Dave Guadagni, AIA, is an architect with Robertson/Sherwood/Architects
Quizzical Pursuit is Copyright 2001, Dave Guadagni.
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A tough shell for a new chick.
Image: www.arttoday.com
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