The authors designed an innovative steel skin roof, of which considerable amount of tension is introduced into the surfaces. By conducting the structural experiment of two stages, inflation test and loading test on a specimen of a practical size (span:10.8m), structural performances of the roof are evaluated in this paper. The principal conclusions are as follows: 1) A simple formula was proposed to express progresses of tensional stress during inflation. 2) The specimen showed strength increase as well as considerable deformability even after the backup folded plate suffered local buckling. 3) Structural feasibility was showed by carrying out an allowable stress design on temporary load.
