Bending-active Sandwich Shells: Studio One Research Pavilion 2017 (2017)
article⁄Bending-active Sandwich Shells: Studio One Research Pavilion 2017 (2017)
abstract⁄The goal of this paper is to advance the research on bendingactive structures by investigating the system’s inherent structural characteristics and introducing an alternative approach to their design and fabrication. With this project, the authors propose the use of sandwichstructured composites to improve the loadbearing behavior of bendingactive shells. By combining digital formfinding and formconversion processes, it becomes possible to discretize a doublecurved shell geometry into an assembly of singlecurved sandwich strips. Due to the clever use of bending in the construction process, these strips can be made out of inexpensive and flat sheet materials. The assembly itself takes advantage of two fundamentally different structural states. When handled individually, the thin panels are characterized by their high flexibility, yet when crossconnected to a sandwich, they gain bending stiffness and increase the structure’s rigidity. To explain the possible impacts of this approach, the paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of bendingactive structures in general and outline the potential of sandwich shells in particular. Furthermore, the authors will address the fundamental question of how to build a loadbearing system from flexible parts by using the practical example of the Studio One Research Pavilion. To illustrate this project in more detail, the authors will present the digital design process involved as well as demonstrate the technical feasibility of this approach through a built prototype in full scale. Finally, the authors will conclude with a critical discussion of the design approach proposed here and point out interesting topics for future research.
|
|
| Year |
2017 |
| Authors |
Schleicher, Simon; La Magna, Riccardo; Zabel, Joshua. |
| Issue |
ACADIA 2017: DISCIPLINES & DISRUPTION |
| Pages |
544-551 |
| Library link |
N/A |
| Entry filename |
bending-active-sandwich-shells |
