Abstract
This paper is concerned with the erection and ultimate load test of dome shaped space structures by post-tensioning. It is a fast and economical method for constructing such a dome by post-tensioning of the cable in bottom chords. This structure consists of uniform pyramids in a flat layouts on the ground, and then the structure is shaped and erected into its final curved space structure. Ultimate load test was performed for dome shaped space structures. The feasibility of the proposed erection method and the reliability of the established geometric model were confirmed with numerical analysis and experimental investigation on a small scale steel model. As a results we can find the most reasonable modeling technique for the prediction of shape formation in practices and we can know the characteristic of the behaviour in ultimate load test for practical design purposes.