# Performance and Measurement Devices for Membrane Buildings in Civil Engineering: A Review
## 1 Introduction  
The evolution of membrane structures can be traced back to tents made of bark or animal skins by ancestral people [1]. The idea for modern membrane structures stemmed from [PERSON]'s use of membrane cloth to build a field hospital in 1917, but it was not realized until 1946, when [PERSON] constructed a hemispherical radome [2]. Membrane structures have gathered an enormous amount of interest in the past decades for their various appearances and short construction cycles as permanent or semi-permanent buildings [3], along with their excellent portability and adaptability in the field of temporary construction [4]. Moreover, the installation of membrane components in existing buildings has proven to be effective and economical in improving the performance of buildings [5; 6]. In recent years, cases of applying membrane structures have shown a solid upward trend, benefiting from the development of architectural membrane materials and the improvement of construction technology. In China, the number of new inflatable membrane structures built each year exceeds 100 [7]. In North America, 60% of low-slope buildings use membrane structures as roofing systems [8]. In Germany, the market for membranes in uprated building waterproofing grew 4.5 times from 2012 to 2017 [9].  
The significant deformation of the membrane under external loads is a distinctive feature. Consequently, the mechanical performance of the membrane structure has become a major concern. Energy consumption in the building sector accounts for 40% of primary energy consumption [10]. As green concepts prevail today, striking a balance between energy consumption and the internal temperature environment is a widespread theme in membrane building advancement. Furthermore, the deployment efficiency of inflatable membrane structures and their safety during deflation have been analyzed [11; 12].  
On the other hand, it is hard to determine the architectural performance of membrane structures based on the research findings on traditional structures, as the gap between membrane materials and traditional building materials is pronounced [12]. A lightweight and flexible nature signifies that the structure exhibits intense geometric nonlinearity [13]. Accurate structural analysis is essential for membrane buildings and facilitates the formation of design principles [14]. A material model, such as a mesostructure or continuum model, is generally established for accurate theoretical or simulation research analysis. Mathematical models [15], fabric lattice models [16], spatial truss models [17], and finite element cell models [18] are common forms of mesostructural models based on the structure and deformation mechanisms of coated fabrics. Continuum models assume that the coated fabrics are homogeneous, anisotropic, and continuous, for which they directly adapt to the analysis of the structure. Although theoretical studies and numerical simulations reveal the structural properties of membrane structures to some extent, the reliability of the results would probably be affected by the simplification of structural aspects or the adoption of the models mentioned above, which are often applied in the analysis process [19]. Analyzing data obtained from models or buildings permits a more accurate determination of the structural performance of membrane structures. Meanwhile, the theoretical equations are verified, and the finite element model can be modified.  
This paper provides a systematic review of the performance of membrane structures based on experimental or measured data from five perspectives: mechanics, thermocids, energy, deployment, and deflation. The related measurement devices are enumerated and compared. At the end of the paper, the achievements and shortcomings of the existing research are summarized, and potential future research directions are indicated. A general overview of the above topics is conducive to developing membrane structure specifications and promoting applications in more fields.