3V 3/8 Geodesic Dome Calculator Build your own geodesic dome Click on images below to view other 3V geodesic dome calculators This 3V 3/8 geodesic dome calculator is multi-purpose This is also a reverse geodesic dome calculator It will calculate any size of dome and display the lengths for each strut, total amount of material required, the weight of your geodesic dome and even the amount of material to cover your geodesic dome. Enter any value in any yellow box and it will calculate all other corresponding values. For example you can specify a 2-foot length for strut “B” and all other struts and related values will be calculated. Important note about odd geodesic dome frequencies (i.e. 3V, 5V) Most geodesic dome calculators on the Web don’t give a flat base suchj as this calculator. For a more detailed explanation, click here. NOTE: If you enter a measure in feet, your results are in feet or, in the case of floor area, square feet. Same goes for meters. When entering in feet, decimals are fractions of a foot or square foot (for example: 2.75 = 2’9″). Spherical radius Spherical diameter Height Floor area Perimeter Perimeter: total length of all base struts feet (or meters) of pipe/lumber NOTE: if bolting struts, you need to add extra length to your total above. The formula is: (tip to hole center) X 2 X number of struts. Ex.: a dome requiring 100 struts with bolts 3/4″ from the tip requires 100 X 3/4″ X 2 = 150 inches (12.5 feet) more to the total above. STRUTS ANGLE 30 X “A” 10.04° 40 X “B” 11.64° 50 X “C” 11.90° 120 STRUTS For conduit, you can round bend angles to the nearest degree. For timber domes, angles should be to the nearest tenth of a degree. Click here for assembly diagram Struts are vertex to vertex To connect together with bolts, you need to make them longer to drill holes in them. Connecting struts Many types of connectors are available for steel and timber geodesic dome. For more information, click here. If you use `hubs 25 X 6-way connectors 6 X 5-way connectors 15 X 4-way connectors OR If you bolt struts together 46 bolts 46 nuts 92 washers For more information on cutting, bending and flattening struts, click here Floor Surface and Capacity Your calculated floor surface area is SQUARE FEET/SQUARE METERS NOTE: RESULTS IN THIS SECTION ARE BASED ON FEET. Geodesic Dome floor Capacity Concrete Cubic feet Cubic yards 4″ slab 6″ slab 8″ slab Plywood 1/2″ 4′ X 8′ sheets Estimated standing capacity Estimated dining capacity Estimated conference capacity For more info on capacity, click here How much will your geodesic dome weigh? Your calculated geodesic dome diameter is 1/2″ 3/4″ 1″ 1 1/4″ 1 1/2″ 2″ EMT Wall thickness 0.042″ 0.049″ 0.057″ 0.065″ 0.065″ 0.065″ Lbs. kgs. STEEL SCHEDULE 40 Wall thickness 0.109″ 0.113″ 0.133″ 0.140″ 0.140″ 0.154″ Lbs. kgs. ALUMINUM SCHEDULE 40 Wall thickness 0.109″ 0.113″ 0.133″ 0.140″ 0.140″ 0.154″ Lbs. kgs. LUMBER 2″ X 4″ 2″ X 6″ 2″ X 8″ Lbs. Kgs. How much will your geodesic dome cost? The tables show sample costs. Material prices vary with suppliers and area. Your calculated geodesic dome requires feet (or meters) of pipe / lumber NOTE: THIS SECTION ONLY ESTIMATES COST IN FEET. Galvanized pipe – Steel Schedule 40 Your estimated pipe dollar cost is: 1/2″ @ $13 /10′ length 3/4 @ $17/10′ length 1″ @ $25 /10′ length 1 1/4″ @ $34 /10′ length 1 1/2″ @ $42 /10′ length 2″ @ $55 /10′ length Structure pipe – Aluminum Schedule 40 Your estimated pipe dollar cost is: 1/2″ @ $ /10′ length 3/4 @ $ /10′ length 1″ @ $ /10′ length 1 1/4″ @ $ /10′ length 1 1/2″ @ $ /10′ length 2″ @ $ /10′ length Structure pipe – EMT Your estimated pipe dollar cost is: 1/2″ @ $5.50 /10′ length 3/4 @ $ 8.80 /10′ length 1″ @ $18 /10′ length 1 1/4″ @ $19 /10′ length 1 1/2″ @ $22 /10′ length 2″ @ $3 2/10′ length Cover: approx. s.f. $ COST Canvas 20 oz. ($1/s.f.) Canvas 42 oz ($1.50/s.f.) Poly 3 mil ($0.05/s.f.) Poly 6 mil ($0.06/s.f.) Marine Shrink Wrap 7 mil. ($0.08/s.f.) Industrial fire-retardant Shrink Wrap 12 mil ($0.23/s.f.) Aluminet 70% shade cloth ($0.35/s.f.) Tyvek (housewrap) ($0.41/s.f.) Plywood 1/2″ ($25/ 4′ X 8′) Wood struts Your estimated wood dollar cost is: 2″X4″ @ $0.35 foot (avg.) 2″X6″ @ $0.50 foot (avg.) 2″X8″ @ $0.70 foot (avg.) Flooring: Plywood 1/2″ ($25/ 4′ X 8′) OSB 1/2″ ($9/ 4′ X 8′) Anchoring your geodesic dome Smaller geodesic domes do not require massive anchoring; many will use long ground screws or rebar bent in the shape of a “U”. But for a more solid, safe and permanent solution, concrete is poured into round forms to create piers.Many also use them as a base and frame for a riser wall. These piers can be of varying lengths, but as a rule for large permanent structures they should go past the frost line and preferably down to the bedrock. As for the number of piers, this depends on your engineer, though large geodesic domes will probably require a pier at each ground vertex or hub. The following calculates the required concrete for a single pier. Keep in mind rebar should be included to strengthen any pier. 10″ Circular Pier Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags 4′ 2.18 0.08 4.4 3.3 6′ 3.27 .12 6.5 4.9 8′ 4.36 .16 8.7 6.5 12″ Circular Pier Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags 4′ 3.14 0.12 6.3 4.7 6′ 4.71 0.17 9.4 7.0 8′ 6.28 0.23 12.6 9.4 16″ Circular Pier Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags 4′ 5.59 0.21 11.2 8.4 6′ 8.38 0.31 16.8 12.6 8′ 11.17 0.41 22.3 16.8 20″ Circular Pier Length Cu. feet Cu. yard 60lb. bags 80lb. bags 4′ 4.36 0.16 8.8 6.6 6′ 6.54 0.24 13 9.8 8′ 8.72 0.32 17.4 13 Assembly Diagram Be Sociable, Share!
