Integrated computational framework for the design and fabrication of bending-active structures made from flat sheet material

Laccone F., Malomo L., Pietroni N., Cignoni P., Schork T.

Computational design  Simulation  Advanced manufacturing  Structural design  Digital fabrication  Shell  Optimization  Form-finding  Mesostructured  Architecture  Bending-active structures 

This paper introduces an integrated computational design framework for the design and realization of arbitrarily-curved bending-active architectural structures. The developed framework consists of a series of methods that enable the production of a complex 3D structures composed of a set of flat 2D panels whose mechanical properties are locally tuned by varying the shape of embedded spiraling patterns. The resulting panels perform as variable stiffness elements, and they are optimized to match a desired target shape once assembled together. The presented framework includes all the steps for the physical delivery of architectural objects, including conception, static assessment, and digital fabrication. The developed framework has been applied to an architectural scale prototype, which demonstrates the potential of integrating architectural design, computational simulation, structural engineering, and digital fabrication, opening up several possible novel applications in the building sector.

Source: Structures (Oxford) 34 (2021): 979–994. doi:10.1016/j.istruc.2021.08.004

Publisher: Elsevier, Oxford, Regno Unito

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