A truss includes a plurality of truss members, each truss member formed from a unitary folded blank of sheet metal to create a main panel, and proximal and distal flanges and a horizontal panel each extending perpendicularly from the main panel, the proximal flange of a first truss member is connected to the distal flange of a second truss member to form a truss. In one embodiment employing trusses formed of folded sheet metal, a plurality of interconnected truss modules, each truss module including a plurality of truss members, forms a plurality of oppositely extending horizontal flanges that collectively present the top and bottom surfaces of a cantilevered canopy.

A panel for a building structure has a predefined curvature. The panel has a generally rectangular shape with a curvature, such that the panel has a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface with a set of side edge regions and a set of end edge regions. The panel is at least one mineral wool fibre slab with a plurality of first strips adhered to the outer surface and a plurality of second strips adhered to the inner surface.

Structural plates and methods of constructing arch-shaped structures using structural plates. Structural plates may include a combination of features including: an outer structural plate having adjacent circumferential apertures respectively spaced nominally greater than adjacent circumferential apertures of an inner structural plate; and the outer structural plate having nominally 5 enlarged or differently shaped circumferential apertures (as compared to circumferential apertures of the inner structural plate) such that the embodiment structural plates may be radiused to a variety of different radii while achieving desirable overlapping alignment of apertures along overlapping circumferential edges for receiving fasteners therein. Joiner plates may be provided for interconnecting structural plates along transverse edges in a non-overlapping arrangement, 10 thereby reducing the quantity of structural plate material that otherwise would be needed for a given circumferential length of the arch-shaped structure.

A beam system and method of erecting a supporting arch enables large roofed structures to be erected quickly and economically. The method includes aligning a plurality of structural elements longitudinally; connecting upper corners of the structural elements to upper corners of adjacent structural elements, wherein adjacent lower corners of the structural elements remain unconnected; elevating first and second structural elements in a middle of the supporting arch; connecting lower corners of the first and second structural elements together; elevating third and fourth structural elements adjacent the first and second structural elements, respectively; and connecting lower corners of the third and fourth structural elements to lower corners of the first and second structural elements, respectively.

A wall element including upper and lower elements at upper and lower edges. A first side element extending along the first side, a second side element extending along the second side and a substantially rectangular board are present. The upper and lower elements include a first edge coinciding with the first side and a second edge coinciding with the second side, wherein the first and second edges are arranged in an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the outer surface, the angle lies within the interval 20°-45°, and the first and second side elements extending parallel to the plane, perpendicular to the board and having a total extension corresponding to the extension of the upper and the lower element in the plane, wherein the first side element bear against the plate and the second side element extend from the inside of the wall element.

A truss includes a plurality of truss members, each truss member formed from a unitary folded blank of sheet metal to create a main panel, and proximal and distal flanges and a horizontal panel each extending perpendicularly from the main panel, the proximal flange of a first truss member is connected to the distal flange of a second truss member to form a truss. In one embodiment employing trusses formed of folded sheet metal, a plurality of interconnected truss modules, each truss module including a plurality of truss members, forms a plurality of oppositely extending horizontal flanges that collectively present the top and bottom surfaces of a cantilevered canopy.

The invention relates to a modular building structure (10) comprising: a framework (12) including a plurality of rods (14) and connectors (16) to interconnect the plurality of rods (14) together, the framework (12) comprising empty spaces bordered by corresponding rods (14) of said plurality of rods; a plurality of panels (20), wherein one panel (20) is mounted inside each empty space and connected to the framework (12) in order to create an interior (40), an air chamber layer (44) inside which air may circulate, said air chamber layer (44) forming at least a portion of an outer surface of said interior (40), at least one upper valve system (46a) mounted in the upper portion of the structure (10), and at least one lower valve system (46b) mounted in the lower portion of the structure (10). The at least one upper and lower valve systems (46a, 46b) are selectively operable to regulate the thermal conditions inside the interior (40) as a function of the meteorological conditions outside the modular building structure (10) and a desired temperature inside the interior (40). The invention also relates to a method for operating the at least one upper and lower valve systems (46a, 46b) of the modular building structure (10).

An exemplary modular building component disclosed herein includes at least three side walls connected to each other to form a frame structure having an open exterior end and an open interior end, in various aspects. Each of the side walls includes a mating inner structural wall and an outer pivoting wall, in various aspects. The structural wall and the pivoting wall each include a top end and a bottom end, wherein the pivoting wall bottom end is adapted to pivotably engage the structural wall bottom end, in various aspects. A tautened fabric material covers the frame structure exterior end and is secured to each pivoting wall, in various aspects. The fabric is tautened over the frame structure exterior end as each pivoting wall top end is pivoted into abutment with its mating structural wall top end, in various aspects. Related methods are disclosed.

A panel for a building structure has a predefined curvature. The panel has a generally rectangular shape with a curvature, such that the panel has a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface with a set of side edge regions and a set of end edge regions. The panel is at least one mineral wool fibre slab with a plurality of first strips adhered to the outer surface and a plurality of second strips adhered to the inner surface.

A system of structural interlocking panels for forming disaster-resistant buildings, comprising: a hollow, internally-braced, vacuum-insulated panel shell having at least two interlocking sides, the first side having a convex-inward single-curvature, the second side having a straight surface, the third side having a straight surface with at least one integral tongue with at least one head extending vertically-upward for receiving a complementary groove of a first side of an adjacent panel. Panels are thus vertically slide-locked along panel sides and faces, thereby triggering automatic snap joints that prevent backward movement of the panel. The system can assemble spheres, cylinders, toroids, tetrahedrons, flat shapes, and irregular shapes.