The reception building in Dinosaur Park Kleinwelka near Bautzen, Germany has a total height of 22 m (72 ft) and resembles mitosis. Mitosis is a type of cell division and the origin of life. The bionic steel structure consists of a total of 1,389 tubular steel members, each connected in 269 nodes.
A total of ~ 84 metric tons (92.594 US tons) of steel were used for the project. The translucent roof, with a total surface area of approximately 2,300 m² (24,757 ft²), was realized using 463 ETFE foil cushions.
In addition to the entrance area, a souvenir shop, restrooms, adventure area, and a gallery are available in the building. Visitors will also notice a colossal Spinosaurus welcoming them at the main entrance.
Stahlbau Hahner GmbH from Petersberg and rimpf Architektur from Hamburg were honored for the construction at the "Deutscher Verzinkerpreis 2017" (3rd prize in architecture). The engineers of zapf & co. from Strausberg, Germany were responsible for the structural analysis of the steel structure and the foil cushions. The spatial structure was analyzed in RSTAB and the cushions in Easy.
The "Mitoseum" is a spectacular and at the same time eco-friendly lightweight steel and membrane construction.
Structural Design:
zapf & co. - Structural Engineering GmbH, Strausberg
Bionic Steel Structure
Number of Nodes | 3452 |
Number of Members | 3920 |
Number of Load Cases | 50 |
Number of Load Combinations | 95 |
Total Weight | 35.643 tons |
Dimensions (Metric) | 45.245 x 25.330 x 22.913 m |
Dimensions (Imperial) | 148.44 x 83.1 x 75.17 feet |
Program Version | 8.19.01 |
![FE Model of Steel Connection](/en/webimage/052000/4028239/1.png?mw=512&hash=9d7f6c198b6d4ae6ee8f2fa8bca75f85579e14c9)
![Steel Connections Modeled in Steel Joints Add-on](/en/webimage/051920/4022201/EN-DE-1.png?mw=512&hash=93381a43ac2b4cf28461d64455ce2feeb2889924)
![KB 001884 | AISC Chapter F Lateral Torsional Buckling Versus Eigenvalue Calculation Methods Compared in RFEM 6](/en/webimage/051669/3996729/2024-07-24_15-34-55.png?mw=512&hash=8e8765705188abd3585dcebe00ae04ca6e38b005)
![Basic Shapes of Membrane Structures [1]](/en/webimage/009595/2419502/01-en-png-png.png?mw=512&hash=6ca63b32e8ca5da057de21c4f204d41103e6fe20)
![Feature 002820 | Limit Plastic Strain for Welds](/en/webimage/050344/3881226/1.png?mw=512&hash=9d7f6c198b6d4ae6ee8f2fa8bca75f85579e14c9)
In the ultimate configuration of the steel joint design, you have the option to modify the limit plastic strain for welds.
![Component "Base Plate"](/en/webimage/050345/3936120/50345.png?mw=512&hash=3bd641cb1a2445804b338855e4debfc40c6563e9)
The "Base Plate" component allows you to design base plate connections with cast-in anchors. In this case, plates, welds, anchorages, and steel-concrete interaction are analyzed.
![Feature 002807 | 3D Display of FSM Results](/en/webimage/049281/3861162/2024-05-01_10-32-55.png?mw=512&hash=2377d291bc20ac3d78d617b50c131614e99ac6f7)
In the "Edit Section" dialog box, you can display the buckling shapes of the Finite Strip Method (FSM) as a 3D graphic.
![Steel Design | Seismic Force-Resisting System Design Overview](/en/webimage/048507/3803346/seismic_steel.png?mw=512&hash=1c18a83f050e74601a7300444a0d77a0246a0e02)
- Design of five types of seismic force-resisting systems (SFRS) includes Special Moment Frame (SMF), Intermediate Moment Frame (IMF), Ordinary Moment Frame (OMF), Ordinary Concentrically Braced Frame (OCBF), and Special Concentrically Braced Frame (SCBF)
- Ductility check of the width-to thickness ratios for webs and flanges
- Calculation of the required strength and stiffness for stability bracing of beams
- Calculation of the maximum spacing for stability bracing of beams
- Calculation of the required strength at hinge locations for stability bracing of beams
- Calculation of the column required strength with the option to neglect all bending moments, shear, and torsion for overstrength limit state
- Design check of column and brace slenderness ratios