STEEL MEMBRANE COATINGS ARE AN EFFECTIVE TYPE OF HANGING STRUCTURES

Construction science always strives to save material, including when designing large-span coverings of unique buildings. The article discusses membrane coatings, both in large-span and in mass-purpose buildings. Examples of both existing and dismantled coatings with the use of thin steel sheet are given. The historical facts about the use of the first membrane coatings developed by the great Russian engineer V.G. Shukhov are given. The advantages of using stainless steel as a span structure are analyzed, as one of the ways to eliminate the main disadvantage of steel structures, the ability to corrosion, the mechanical characteristics of several types of stainless steels for use as a membrane coating are given. To achieve this goal, a comparison of the cost of a stainless steel membrane coating with the cost of a similar coating made of low-carbon and low-alloy steels is used. This comparison involves not only the cost of the metal sheet itself, but also the cost of painting, which performs the function of anti-corrosion protection and comparison of the coating thicknesses adopted in the design, taking into account the operating conditions. New types of stainless steels with better strength properties, including toughness and weldability, are described.