Membrane structure types mainly include tensile membrane structure, air domes and frame supported structure. Among them, the tensioned membrane structure includes a suspended membrane structure and a skeleton membrane structure, both of which use steel cables and steel members as the main load-bearing structure to transfer the external load of the membrane surface.

Cable-net structure and cable-membrane structure have the property of intersecting each other. If the roof covering material of the cable net structure adopts the membrane material, the cord membrane structure can be formed, but not all the cable membrane structures are cable net structures. In some cable membrane structures, the membrane material is used as the main force member, such as a tensile membrane structure. In view of the close relationship between the cable net structure and the cable membrane structure, these two structures are often constructed in combination with engineering.

Referring to the existing publications, the world's first cable net structure was built in 1951. It is a RaleighArena designed by Matthew Nowiski and Fred Severud in the United States. The cable net is a hyperbolic paraboloid. On this basis, Fred Severud's student FREIOtto proposed the shape-finding theory of the physical model method and applied it to the membrane structure. In 1967, the West German Pavilion at the Montreal Exhibition first combined the cable net structure with the membrane structure, which was considered by the industry to be a milestone in the application of cable membrane structures in the field of large-span building structures. Since then, the cable membrane structure has been widely used in large-span building structures. Typical examples of foreign projects include Saudi Arabia Jeddah International Airport, San Diego Convention Center, and Denver International Airport. Typical domestic engineering examples include Qingdao Yuzhong Stadium, Weihai Sports Center Stadium, Hainan Boao Forum for Asia, and Wuhu Sports Center Stadium.

The combination of grid and steel membrane structure is perfect, especially the unique and novel shape of the project has become the landmark building of various regions. The development of the future gymnasium has great potential in the cable membrane and cable network structure.