The application of free-form grid shells as protective shelters in archaeological sites

The challenge of preserving archaeological sites by the adoption of grid shells is investigated in this paper. Archaeological remains often require protection from external agents, especially environmental threats. In fact, when covered by soil, they are preserved effectively under certain equilibrium conditions. Nonetheless, when exposed to the outer environment they can easily deteriorate. Therefore, a shelter or enclosure may be provided for protection. When a large area requires protection, steel structures such as portal frames or two-dimensional trusses are extensively employed. These have a heavyweight character and require deep foundations, the construction of which is substantially limited in archaeological sites, and increases the risk of damage during erection. Through the development of an extensible free-form grid shell design with a minimum weight, maximum stiffness and constructability approach, the potential application of shelters for archaeological sites is evaluated. This study involves a parametric investigation and considers the worst-case scenario conditions