Review of Research on Reinforced Concrete Shell Structure Produced Using an Inflated Form

Reinforced concrete shell structures produced using an inflated form are widely used in large‐span thin‐shell spatial structures. Unlike the construction technology of traditional concrete building structures, this method involves prefabricating the membrane material into a designed shape as the construction framework. After inflation, a polyurethane layer is sprayed, steel bars are placed, and concrete is sprayed inside the inflatable membrane. This innovative construction method effectively addresses the issues of complex framework procedures, high costs, and difficulty in concrete pouring in traditional thin concrete shell construction, offering significant advantages. However, despite its wide application in the industrial sector and the gradual maturation of related construction techniques, the structure still faces many technical challenges that need to be addressed. Existing research remains insufficient in areas such as standardization processes, material performance optimization, and long‐term durability, which limit the further development and application of this technology. Although there have been some related reviews, most of them have not comprehensively covered all the key technologies in this field. This article provides the first systematic review, filling the research gap in the existing literature. By reviewing the relevant background, structural forms, engineering applications, and key technologies of reinforced concrete shell structures produced using an inflated form, this article proposes several improvements for these technical challenges and discusses future research directions, particularly in the areas of standardization processes, material performance optimization, and long‐term durability.