Like a pillow, the pneumatic construction resists external forces through the difference in internal and external pressure.

Pressurization

: is to maintain regular pressure through ventilation, commonly used in permanent structures.

Seal

: is pressurised during air inflation only, commonly used in temporary structures such as pavilions.

As with more conventional tensile membrane fabrics the ETFE pre-stress forces define the curvature of the membrane form. Internal stress and external stress work together to make the structure stable.

• Appropriate reinforcement is necessary as ETFE films can reach yield limits under low-stress and low-strength.
• Linear thermal expansion coefficient is higher in comparison to traditional building materials.