Abstract
Membrane structure is a system that is stabilized by maintaining a tensile state of the membrane material that originally cannot resist the bending or pressure. Also, it is a system that allows the whole membrane structure to bear external loads caused by wind or precipitation such as snow, rain and etc. Tension relaxation phenomenon can transpire to the tension that is introduced to the fabric over time, due to the innate characteristics of the membrane material. Thus, it is important to accurately understand the size of the membrane tension after the completion of the structures, for maintenance and management purposes. The authors have proposed the principle of theoretically and indirectly measuring the tension by vibrating the membrane surface with sound waves exposures against the surface, which is compartmentalized by a rectangular boundary, and by measuring the natural frequency of the membrane surface that selectively resonates. The authors of this paper measured the tension of preexisting membrane structure for its maintenance by using the developed portable measurement equipment. Through analyzing the measurement data, the authors review the points that should be improved and the technical method for the new maintenance system of membrane tension.
