Freemas

Freemas is a type of structural frame that originated in the United States in the mid-20th century. Developed specifically for airplane hangars and other large, open spaces, Freemas utilize a unique arrangement of beams and columns to provide a clear open area while supporting the roof load.

The term Freemas is an anagram for "freema sns," an acronym created by the original developers. However, the authorship of the design is widely attributed to James O. Frey, an American structural engineer. Frey, who patented the design, developed the basic system of using beams of a specific depth and width to span distances without support.

A key feature of Freemas is its use of regular, repetitive, and evenly spaced members of wood, steel, or other materials. This results in open spans as large as 50 to 100 feet without intermediate supports. Initially applied in military and aerospace construction, Freemas structures were later adopted in commercial and industrial design.

Critics have raised questions about the long-term performance of Freemas, citing concerns about the arrangement's structural rigidity under certain loads. However, construction sites and applications have employed Freemas successfully.

Freemas remains an honoring subject within literature of structural engineering, having emerged in a climate of increasing demand for rapid expansion of commercial aviation infrastructure.