{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.air-supported-structure","code":"thing-q474568","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q474568/","name":"air-supported structure","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.3","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.BLT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A building whose envelope is a flexible membrane held up by air pressure slightly above that outside, maintained by fans and entered through airlocks, used for sports halls, tennis and swimming enclosures, warehouses, exhibition halls and temporary shelters, and historically for stadium roofs such as the Pontiac Silverdome; air-supported structures are quick to erect and span large areas at low cost but require continuous pressurisation and are vulnerable to snow, wind and power failure.","purpose":"Let an agent explain air-supported structures and how they work, relay design, materials and uses from architectural and engineering sources, describe history and notable examples, and distinguish air-supported structures from air-inflated and tensile membrane structures.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Pressurised interior","Membrane envelope","Airlocks","Continuous fans"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What an air-supported structure is.","layers":[{"id":"definition","name":"Definition","description":"Definition and working.","findings":[{"id":"definition-finding","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","questions":[{"text":"What is an air-supported structure, and how do pressure, fans and airlocks hold it up?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Is the question about air-supported, air-inflated or tensile structures?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"kinds","name":"Kinds","description":"Kinds.","findings":[{"id":"kinds-finding","name":"Kinds","description":"Kinds.","questions":[{"text":"What kinds exist, from sports domes and warehouses to stadium roofs and shelters?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific kind?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"engineer","name":"Engineer","description":"Design.","layers":[{"id":"design","name":"Design","description":"Design and materials.","findings":[{"id":"design-finding","name":"Design","description":"Design.","questions":[{"text":"How are air-supported structures designed for pressure, membranes, cables and anchorage?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"operation","name":"Operation","description":"Operation.","findings":[{"id":"operation-finding","name":"Operation","description":"Operation.","questions":[{"text":"How are they operated and maintained, and what happens in snow, wind or power loss?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"examples","name":"Examples","description":"Examples.","layers":[{"id":"notable","name":"Notable","description":"Notable structures.","findings":[{"id":"notable-finding","name":"Notable","description":"Notable.","questions":[{"text":"What are notable examples, from the 1970 Osaka Expo US pavilion to stadium domes and modern sports bubbles?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific structure?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"failures","name":"Failures","description":"Failures.","findings":[{"id":"failures-finding","name":"Failures","description":"Failures.","questions":[{"text":"What collapses and deflations have occurred, and what was learned?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits structural failure?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"History and future.","layers":[{"id":"history","name":"History","description":"History.","findings":[{"id":"history-finding","name":"History","description":"History.","questions":[{"text":"How did air-supported structures develop from Lanchester s patent through Bird s radomes to sports domes?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits the history of membrane architecture?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"future","name":"Future","description":"Future.","findings":[{"id":"future-finding","name":"Future","description":"Future.","questions":[{"text":"How are new membranes and hybrid designs changing air-supported structures?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits ETFE?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Monitor fan operation, internal pressure and membrane condition of an air-supported building it is authorized to watch.","Raise an alarm when pressure drops, power fails or snow builds up on the roof."],"mustNot":["Switch off or reduce the fans while people are inside without a safe plan.","Leave airlock doors open in ways that let the membrane deflate.","Allow use of the building after membrane damage or loss of backup power.","Confuse air-supported structures with air-inflated beams in safety advice."],"requiresHuman":["Ordering evacuation or closure of the building.","Planned deflation for maintenance or storms."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Deflation or snow collapse can trap people inside a sports hall or shelter.","Temporary shelters made this way often house vulnerable people in emergencies."],"affectedParties":["Occupants and users","Staff","People in emergency shelters"]},"owners":{"steward":"The operator of the building, under local building control.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q6030129","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"inflatable building","type":"related","note":"in registry terms"},{"target":"membrane structure","type":"related","note":"in general terms"},{"target":"Pontiac Silverdome","type":"related","note":"a stadium roof"},{"target":"tensile structure","type":"related","note":"supported by cables and masts"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.air-supported-structure","Wikidata: Q474568 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q474568)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["internal overpressure: about 200-300 pascals - typical","first patent: 1917 year - Lanchester","largest historical: Pontiac Silverdome example - 1975"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Membrane building held up by internal air pressure","Sports domes, warehouse domes, historical stadium roofs","Air-inflated structures use pressurised beams; tensile structures are cable-supported; tents use poles","A smooth domed or vaulted fabric envelope with airlock doors."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain how they work","relay design and uses","describe history and examples","distinguish related structures"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Deflation from power failure or membrane damage","Snow load collapse","Confusing with air-inflated structures"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Building codes and standards such as ASCE 55 for tensile membrane structures","Fire safety rules for membrane materials","Snow and wind load requirements"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Enclosing large spaces cheaply and quickly.","sports and recreation domes","industrial and storage domes","exhibition and event structures","stadium roofs of the 1970s and 1980s","temporary and emergency shelters","greenhouse and agricultural domes"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q474568: air-supported structure","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q474568","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Air-supported structure","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-supported_structure","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should membrane structure and Pontiac Silverdome be separate entries?","How should engineering sources be linked?","How should notable failures be recorded?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q474568/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q474568/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T06:38:56Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-06T19:52:00+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}