Tubular structures in China: state of the art and applications

Tubular structures have been widely used in China owing to their excellent structural performance and attractive appearance, along with the rapid economic development and great events including the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai EXPO. This paper presents the state of the art and applications of tubular structures in China in recent years. Apart from bridges, tubular structures are also commonly seen in spatial structures, high-rise buildings and transmission towers. Applications of tubular structures in these landmark buildings, such as the National Stadium ‘Bird's Nest' and the National Aquatics Center ‘Water Cube' are illustrated, focusing on the specific characteristics of each tubular structure. With the booming usage of tubular structures, considerable experiment-based research has been carried out in China. The latest developments of research on tubular joints in China are reviewed, along with the practical applications. Emphasis is placed on the static strength, non-rigid behaviour and seismic performance of special tubular joints. Based on results obtained from both research and practical applications, Chinese technical specifications for the design of tubular structures are established and also briefly introduced.