Basics in Parabolic Roof Design

Learn why Basics in Parabolic Roof Design is trending today in this detailed write-up.

Also known as a "saddle roof," the hyperbolic parabola is a shape easily recognizable among the popular brands of saddle-shaped potato chips that come stacked in tubular cans. Roofs may use the hyperbolic parabola form, as well. In essence, a hyperbolic paraboloid is composed of two intersecting fields of straight lines, each line at a slightly different angle. Therefore, a hyperbolic parabola can produce a seemingly rounded shape using straight joists. The J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, built in 1952, features a parabolic arch extended outward from opposite eaves; the roof itself forms a hyperbolic paraboloid. The two arches support a latticework of straight cables that support the roof without the need for any interior columns.