What Is an Air Dome and How Does It Work?

Air domes are also called air-supported structures, inflatable halls or pneumatic structures. They are widely used to cover tennis courts, football pitches, swimming pools, storage areas and event spaces. They may look simple from outside, but an operational dome is a coordinated building system—not merely a fabric bubble filled once with air.

This page gives a short, practical explanation. For materials, installation, maintenance, lifespan and cost planning, continue to the complete guide to air domes and air-supported structures.

How Does an Air Dome Stay Up?

The membrane does not support itself. An air-handling unit continuously supplies enough air to keep the pressure inside slightly higher than outside. This pressure pushes the flexible envelope outward. Because the membrane is securely anchored around its perimeter, it becomes tensioned and takes on its engineered shape.

Small quantities of air leave the dome through ventilation, entrances and unavoidable leakage. The control system measures the actual pressure difference and adjusts airflow to replace those losses. In CENTAURY+ systems, operating pressure is typically about 130–300 Pa depending on weather and operating mode, but the correct setpoints and alarm limits must always be defined for the individual project.

1. Blowers supply air. The main air-handling equipment moves air into the enclosed space and supports ventilation and climate control.
2. Positive pressure tensions the membrane. The slight pressure difference creates the force that keeps the flexible envelope in its designed shape.
3. Anchoring restrains the structure. A concrete ring beam or another engineered anchoring solution transfers membrane forces safely to the ground.
4. Sensors and controls regulate pressure. The controller reacts to leakage, door use and changing weather rather than relying on one fixed fan setting.
5. Airlocks limit pressure loss. Revolving doors or two-door airlocks allow normal access without releasing a large volume of indoor air at once.

The Main Parts of an Air-Supported Structure

What Does It Feel Like Inside?

The overpressure is small compared with normal atmospheric pressure, so people generally do not feel as though they are in a pressurized aircraft cabin. The more noticeable feature is usually the entrance: a revolving door or airlock controls how much air escapes as people enter and leave.

Because the roof does not need internal columns, courts and pitches can use the full clear span. Lighting, ventilation and heating or cooling are selected for the activity and local climate. Indoor comfort is therefore not created by pressure alone; it depends on the complete envelope and mechanical design.

Where Are Air Domes Used?

• Sports: tennis courts, football pitches, basketball courts, athletics and multi-sport facilities.
• Swimming pools: seasonal or year-round weather protection with project-specific humidity control.
• Industry and storage: large clear-span areas for equipment, materials or temporary work.
• Events: exhibitions and other uses where an unobstructed covered area is required.

Suitability cannot be decided from use alone. Occupancy, fire safety, indoor temperature, humidity, site access, foundations, utilities and local approvals all influence whether an air dome is the right solution.

Benefits and Practical Limitations

Why projects choose air domes

• Large column-free interior for courts, pitches and flexible layouts.
• Fast on-site erection once design, approvals, foundations, utilities and components are ready.
• Seasonal or year-round configurations depending on engineering and equipment.
• Potentially lower initial investment than some permanent halls when equivalent project scopes are compared.

What owners must plan for

• Continuous blower and control operation while the structure is inflated.
• Independent backup equipment, alarms, inspections and trained operators.
• Heating or cooling costs that depend on climate, membrane system, size and operating schedule.
• Site-specific engineering for the membrane, anchoring, wind and snow loads.
• Planning, structural, fire-safety or occupancy approvals where required.

For a deeper explanation of this essential operating system, read how air dome pressure regulation responds to changing conditions and power failures.

Is an Air Dome the Same as an Inflatable Tent?

Not necessarily. An air-supported building encloses an occupied area that is itself kept at positive pressure; people enter through pressure-preserving access. Some inflatable tents instead use air only inside tubes or beams, while the occupied space remains at ordinary pressure. The terms are used loosely, so a project specification should identify the structural principle, membrane system, anchoring, mechanical equipment and backup arrangement.

From a Simple Idea to an Engineered Building

The principle is easy to understand: pressure tensions fabric. Turning that principle into a safe facility requires structural calculations and a coordinated design for the site. Dimensions, use, local weather loads, foundation, doors, membrane, ventilation, climate systems, backup power and approvals must be assessed together.

If you are evaluating a real project, start with the location, required covered area, clear height, activity, operating season and desired indoor temperature. These inputs allow a supplier and engineer to define an appropriate system instead of applying a generic dome specification to every site.

Frequently Asked Questions

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