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Efficient and Expressive Thin-tile Vaulting using Cardboard Formwork
... This proposed cooling system has the potential to meet three main objectives: to provide a sound environment-based solution, to bring social cohesion and pride to local communities through traditional means, and to stimulate economic growth by providing local services, while reducing dependency on imported materials. Matthias Rippmann et al. [7] This paper presents research into the design of freeform, multi-vaulting tiles, characterized by a comprehensive process and application of the extended paper interface system. This sophisticated formulation is enabled by the analysis of Thrust Network Anal (TNA) -a three-dimensional novel design tool for testing pleasurable form. ...
... Taking tile vaulted structure and when applied in a real-life scenario, it can be an economical and sustainable replacement of conventional roofing structures in rural and suburban dwelling units [6]. Considering its low cost, use of local materials and labors and maintenance-free characteristics, vaulted structures can be utilized in places such as slums as well as multiple housing units in underdeveloped and developing countries [7]. ...
The concept of sustainability for roof structure becomes most effective because slab consumes the highest amount of cement and steel in the building. This increases carbon footprint, which is a measure of the impact caused by the utilization of natural resources, eventually affecting the earth, and it becomes a subject of higher cost also. The objective of the paper is to find a safe, economical and sustainable roofing structure suitable for suburban and rural settlements. The literature survey carried out deeply and the potential is observed in tile vaulted structures. The core reasons behind adopting a vaulted structure are, it avoids using steel and concrete materials in construction, utilizes local labour, and low-cost local materials for construction. This predominantly becomes the primary factor in deciding the construction of an economical roofing structure for multiple dwelling units in rural and suburban settlements to provide a safe, sustainable and maintenance-free roofing system using tile vaulted structure.
... 13 An open chain of scissor units has a single degree of freedom. The foldability of a unit formed by a closed chain of scissor units depends on the compatibility of the two ends of the unwrapped chain. ...
... 13 Grid of two-parameter dynamic spacing of curve points along the logarithmic spiral by 'attraction' toward regions of higher curvature to provide a more uniform 'curvatureresolution'. The examples at bottom-right are too extreme to generate a viable sliceform but provide a clear illustration of the effect of each parameter in enabling the designer to specify both the difference in slice spacing between regions of high-and low-curvature and the 'skew' of the intermediate transition. ...
A sliceform is a volumetric, honeycomb-like structure assembled from an array of cross-sectional planar slices that are interlocked via pairs of complementary slots placed along each intersection. If the slices are thin, these slotted intersections function as revolute joints, and the sliceform is foldable if the geometry of the embedded spatial linkage permits it, for example a lattice sliceform (LS) is bi-directionally flat-foldable. This thesis concerns a study of such sliceforms toward the design of novel deployable structures. A sliceform torus, composed of two sets of inclined slices arranged at regular intervals about a central axis of symmetry, has been discovered to exhibit a surprising and intriguing folding action whereby its incomplete form can be collapsed to a flat-folded stack of coplanar slices. On deployment, the assembly expands smoothly about an arc until the slices have rotated to their design inclination, then, without reaching any apparent physical limit, abruptly ‘locks out’. With a full complement of slices, the outermost intersections can be interlocked to complete and rigidify the ring. The torus is an example of a rotational sliceform (RS), and analysis of these structures proceeds by noting that their structural geometry comprises an array of pyramidal cells that is commensurate to a spherical scissor grid. The conditions for flat-foldability are determined by examination of the intrinsic geometry of each cell; the incompatibility of the slices with apparent rigid-folding revealed by assessment of the extrinsic motion of the slices. Investigation of their compliant kinematics reveals the articulation to be a bistable transition admitted by small transverse deflections of the slices. This structural form is generalised by development of a technique for generating sliceforms along a smooth spatial curve – curve sliceforms (CS). Their synthesis is more involved than for an RS, but a range of sliceform ‘tubes’ are generated and manufactured. Each example retains the flat-foldable, deployable characteristic of an RS, despite the apparent intrinsic rigidity of each constituent skew cell. Examination of the small-scale models indicates that deployable motion is achieved via imperfect action of the slots, and a simple model of the articulation of a single cell is constructed to investigate how this proceeds, verifying that motion is kinematically admissible via local deformations.
... As an example, this correlation is shown in Figure 4c where higher forces along certain lines in the form diagram (thicker lines), resulting from, but also represented by the stretched elements in the force diagram, generate a kink in the 3D equilibrium network, or structurally speaking, attract more forces along those "ribs". This approach has a clear relevance for teaching (providing high-level insights), practice (producing unique funicular structures, Fig. 5 [11]), and research (developing new insights in 3D equilibrium in general [12,13] ) ...
... Interactive applications have been developed by the authors which were used to generate the examples in Sections 3 and 4. GeoStat, a custom-made, graphic statics-specific parametric drawing environment, based on GeoGebra, was used to produce the examples in Section 3. The interactive drawings can [11] be found on eQUILIBRIUM, which is an interactive, web-based learning platform for structural design, used for the introductory structures classes in architecture at ETH Zurich [4]. The examples in Section 4 were produced using RhinoVAULT, which is a plugin for Rhinoceros for TNA form finding of vaults and shells [10]. ...
The development of structures with complex, curved geometry typically consists of a series of iterative steps in which formal and structural considerations are addressed separately. Since such a sequential process often results in solutions that fail to realise the aesthetic and structural intentions of the original design, there is clearly a need for an integrated approach providing bidirectional control over both form and forces at every stage of the design exploration. This paper therefore describes and advocates an approach based on elements of graphic statics, in which the design of structures is based on geometrical rather than analytical or numerical representations of the relation between form and forces. The presented approach adopts the key principles of graphic statics and extends them with the latest research on form finding, structural design and optimisation techniques.
... Due to the complexity of the shapes, however, a formwork consisting of cardboard boxes placed on pallets was used to facilitate the construction site operations: a light supporting system, simple to install and transport, low-cost, easy to dispose of and recyclable (Davis et al. 2011).The same solution was used again in 2013 by the architects of the MAP13 group for the Brick-Topia pavilion in Barcelona . Even in this case, indeed, the project consisted of tile vault with bold curvilinear forms, built with a budget of three thousand euros and installed within just seven weeks 8 in the courtyard of the ancient Fabra i Coats factory, redeveloping the space of the square. ...
... Algunos exalumnos del MIT continuaron su investigación sobre la bóveda tabicada en diferentes instituciones, como Michael Ramage en la Universidad de Cambridge (Ramage et al., 2010a(Ramage et al., , 2010b y Philippe Block, formando el Block Research Group (BRG), en la ETH de Zúrich. En particular, las innovaciones en bóvedas tabicadas de "forma libre" del BRG ofrecieron nuevas posibilidades a la antigua técnica de construcción, dando como resultado bóvedas tabicadas optimizadas y formalmente muy novedosas (Davis et al, 2011;Block et al., 2010Block et al., , 2014. ...
Esta comunicación se propone mostrar y poner a debate la experiencia de los talleres de experimentación basados en metodologías de aprendizaje conocidas como “learning by building”. Se analiza la experiencia de los propios autores a través de un taller en el Instituto de Arquitectura Avanzada de Catallunya en el que a través de la construcción de una estructura abovedada de forma libre con la técnica tradicional de la bóveda tabicada, se integran el ámbito de los proyectos arquitectónicos y el ámbito de la tecnología de la arquitectura, especialmente en las ramas de las estructuras y la construcción, juntamente con las nuevas herramientas de diseño computacional.
This communication aims to show and debate the experience of the experimentation workshops based on learning methodologies known as . The experience of the authors themselves is analyzed through a workshop at the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catallunya. Through the construction of a free-form thin tile vaulted structure, this workshop integrates strategies from the architectural design and the knowledge of the technology of architecture, especially in the field of structures and construction, together with new computational design tools.
... Research by López López et al. has documented examples of similar techniques deployed in the mid-20th century [8]. More recent work by the BLOCK Research Group and others have adapted these techniques to more complex 3-dimensional forms [9], [10]. These examples presented thin structural ceramic surfaces and related form-finding approaches, but they are all characterized by the use of relatively small rectangular tiles bonded with mortar. ...
Funicular grid shells are typically constructed from steel or timber struts, but no examples are known using structural ceramics, a material known for its longevity and fire resistance. We report a method for the design and fabrication of a novel grid shell structure from unreinforced ceramic tile with minimal use of metal fasteners. Full-scale studies tested joinery and connection details, large-scale mockups helped to verify the assembly sequence, and physical component tests determined allowable strength values for structural design. A novel assembly sequence allows each rib to be installed vertically from above, eliminating the need for mechanical connections between ribs. A prototypical grid shell spans 6m with grid members fabricated from two layers of 6mm thick ceramic tile.
... The first free-form tile vault was built by the BRG in 2011 (Figure 2) in a project by Matthias Rippmann, Lara Davis and Philippe Block(29). It was the result of combining the newly developed RhinoVault and the versatility and flexibility of the traditional tile vaulting technique. ...
New interactive equilibrium methods for the design and analysis of masonry structures have facilitated the construction of masonry structures with a formal language well beyond what is typically associated with compression-only architecture. These developments have also rekindled interest in tile vaulting, and led to a rediscovery of this traditional building technique.
To ensure that tile vaults with new, complex shapes can still be built economically, the construction processes involved in the realisation of these structures have adapted. For example, cheaper and simpler falsework systems have been introduced. In addition, a wide variety of materials have been experimented with to be able to build more sustainable vaulted structures with local resources.
This paper presents a review of the latest innovations in tile vaulting, based on the most representative works of the past few years with respect to shape, construction method and the use of materials.
... g system allows them to build with little material and it does not need a strong formwork for construction. The group has designed a new software to combine the advantages of this traditional technique with a large formal variety. The "RhinoVault" enables the design of forms that work under compressive stresses using the minimum amount of material. [11] 2 In order to understand the tile vaulting structural behavior, we should know that tile vaults are masonry structures, with the structural features that that entails: [12] ‐ Its tension strength is minimal. ‐ The compressive stresses achieved in these structures are generally much lower than the endurance limit of the material. ‐ There ...
Hundreds of years support the effectiveness and efficiency of some traditional building techniques which solved architectural aspects of housing, as well as other tiypologies. Tile vaulting, or "volta catalana", appeared in Spain as we know it today five centuries ago. It consists on the construction of vaulted structures of different geometries with bricks placed flat. The first layer is joined with plaster or quick setting mortar and serve as formwork for the next layer which is joined with mortar.
Several factors can justify building using this traditional technique, among others:
1. Within the context of the current crisis, it is increasingly essential to take the economy of building into account. The fact this construction does not need scaffolding makes its cost very low.
2. The versatility of this technique makes it possible to be used in both small and large spans, and to build floors and stairs of different geometries operating under compressive stress.
3. The stability of these structures depends on its geometry, which optimizes the amount of material used. These vaults can withstand housing common loads and cover the typical spans of this type.
4. The easiness of brick manufacturing and the possibility of purchasing it within a local trade ensures a sustainable technique that, in addition, after its collapse, doesn't mean a serious pollution.
5. Due to the material used, this technique has a considerable resistance to fire and is not susceptible to insect attack or decomposition.
The fact is that recovering this traditional technique means a smart choice, specially when the budget is limited or the resources reduced.
... Nowadays, the development of advanced modeling software has enable architects to rethink and expand the construction possibilities using traditional materials like wood, masonry and cork (Sass & Oxman 2005, Block et al. 2011, Sousa, 2010. There has been a growing interest in researching material processes. ...
... This work was very much inspired by Philippe Block's plenary lecture at the 2011 Symposium on Geometry Processing in Lausanne. Several illustrations (the destruction sequence of Fig. 8 and the maximum load example of Fig. 9) have real-world analogues on his web page at ETH Zurich, see [Block 2011] and [Davis et al. 2011]. ...
Self-supporting masonry is one of the most ancient and elegant techniques for building curved shapes. Because of the very geometric nature of their failure, analyzing and modeling such strutures is more a geometry processing problem than one of classical continuum mechanics. This paper uses the thrust network method of analysis and presents an iterative nonlinear optimization algorithm for efficiently approximating freeform shapes by self-supporting ones. The rich geometry of thrust networks leads us to close connections between diverse topics in discrete differential geometry, such as a finite-element discretization of the Airy stress potential, perfect graph Laplacians, and computing admissible loads via curvatures of polyhedral surfaces. This geometric viewpoint allows us, in particular, to remesh self-supporting shapes by self-supporting quad meshes with planar faces, and leads to another application of the theory: steel/glass constructions with low moments in nodes.
... The developed program was used to verify and improve the design and fabrication setup described in this paper. In particular, the geometry of a previously developed freeform thin-tile vault [14] was used to test and verify the described methods, from the initial design to the final production, for the same geometry built from discrete stone blocks ( fig. 3.2). ...
Thin concrete and steel grid shells show elegantly how shell design is used for contemporary freeform architecture. Their
natural beauty is coupled to an inherent efficiency due to minimal bending, result from their good structural form. Thanks
to digital form finding tools, streamlined planning processes and automated fabrication, the technical and economic difficulties
to design and build those structures, especially grid shells, decreased significantly [1].
This research investigates the assembly of funicular shell structures using a single layer of flat ceramic tiles. The objective is to synthesize recent advances in structural prediction software with existing means and methods of on-site assembly. The primary area of investigation is at the scale of the tectonic unit-most specifically how introduction of geometric intelligence at the scale of the unit can simplify the assembly of forms that are difficult to realize in the context of modern construction. The project simulates an industrial production scenario in which components for a given shell structure can be fabricated using a wire cutter-equipped 6-axis robotic arm. It aims to increase the adaptability and applicability of ceramic shell structures.
This book publishes the peer-reviewed proceeding of the third Design Modeling Symposium Berlin . The conference constitutes a platform for dialogue on experimental practice and research within the field of computationally informed architectural design. More than 60 leading experts the computational processes within the field of computationally informed architectural design to develop a broader and less exotic building practice that bears more subtle but powerful traces of the complex tool set and approaches we have developed and studied over recent years. The outcome are new strategies for a reasonable and innovative implementation of digital potential in truly innovative and radical design guided by both responsibility towards processes and the consequences they initiate.
Addressing both architects and engineers, this dissertation presents a new framework for the form finding and design of fabrication geometry of discrete, funicular structures in the early design phase. Motivated by ongoing debates about digital architecture and funicular shell form finding, it introduces a new methodology for structurally-informed design of curved surface architecture through the use of geometrical rather than analytical or numerical representations of the relation between form, forces and fabrication. Based on Thrust Network Analysis (TNA), new algorithms are presented that enable an interactive exploration of novel funicular shapes, enriching the known formal vocabulary of shell architecture. Using TNA, the framework adopts the same advantages of techniques like graphic statics, providing an intuitive and educational approach to structural design that ranges from simple explorations to geometry-based optimisation techniques. Complementary to this structurally-informed design process, the work reflects on the latest building technologies while also revisiting historic construction techniques for stereotomic stone masonry and prefabricated concrete shells to develop efficient fabrication design strategies for discrete funicular structures. Based on architectural, structural and fabrication requirements, several tessellation approaches for given thrust surfaces are developed for the design of informed discretisation layouts of any funicular shape. The flexibility and feasibility of the form-finding framework is demonstrated in several case studies employing the new structural design tool RhinoVAULT, which implements the developed form-finding methods. The use of fabrication design strategies is discussed in a comprehensive case study that shows project-specific tessellation design variations and first fabrication results for a complex stone masonry shell.
This paper presents a method for the construction of non-uniform precast concrete shell structures from unique parts. A novel method of discontinuous post-tensioning is introduced which allows tension to be taken through the connections. This increases the formal possibilities of the system beyond compression-only funicular forms. It also allows live loading to be catered for without significant thickening of the structure. Most significantly, the post-tensioning system allows for an almost total elimination of falsework a significant impediment to the realistion of complex shell structures. This advancement reduces resources needed for assembly, and increases the overall robustness of the system.
Also presented are a series of refinements that add to the geometric precision of individual concrete elements cast in lasercut PET moulds. These include the development of a casting rig used to fix casting moulds in the right position during casting and algorithms to produce mold details to mediate between the unique components and the repeated rig forms.
The last design experiment is the most elaborate, demonstrating a pavillion structure which incorporates all areas of development. The successful execution of this design experiment allows us to conclude that the building system in its current state of development is ready to be tested in a scale larger than the typical research pavilion.
This paper describes a novel method for constructing complex concrete structures from small-scale individualized elements. The method was developed through the investigation of laser cutting, folding and concrete casting in PETG plastic sheets and funicular grid shell simulations as a generator of complex geometry. In two full-scale experiments, grid shell structures have been designed and built at Aarhus School of Architecture and the University of Technology, Sydney, in 2011 and 2012. The novel design method is described as an iterative process, negotiating both physical and digital constraints. This involves consideration of the relations between geometry and technique, as well as the use of form-finding and simulation algorithms for shaping and optimising the shape of the structure. Custom-made scripts embedded in 3D-modeling tools were used for producing the information necessary for realising the construction comprised of discrete concrete elements.
This design-research thesis - The 4-Dimensional Masonry Construction - presents innovation in the design and construction of thin-shell tile vaulted structures. The core research contributions of this thesis are: #1 Testing limit states of unit hinging + displacement in single-layer tile vaults. #2 Introducing modified masonry units to achieve directional surfaces with high degrees of double-curvature and porosity. The 4-Dimensional Masonry Construction operates as a heuristic device to conceptualize, visualize and represent the way in which a masonry unit hinges in space within a complex, doubly-curved structural surface. By modifying masonry units, the resulting system of aggregation can produce asymmetrical and disaggregating tile coursing geometries - predictable yet geometrically incomprehensible systems. By establishing reciprocity between the modified unit/ system relation and the method of vault assembly, new forms in structural masonry are possible. Such structural forms are a product of these unique unit/ system geometries, the constraint of structural geometries (catenary systems and double curvature for lateral stiffness), the techniques of graphical analysis to define such a structure spatially, and the logic of sequencing to maintain the units' systematic relation, to constrain units inherently given to push the limits of constructibility.
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2009. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-153). This dissertation presents Thrust Network Analysis, a new methodology for generating compression-only vaulted surfaces and networks. The method finds possible funicular solutions under gravitational loading within a defined envelope. Using projective geometry, duality theory and linear optimization, it provides a graphical and intuitive method, adopting the same advantages of techniques such as graphic statics, but offering a viable extension to fully three-dimensional problems. The proposed method is applicable for the analysis of vaulted historical structures, specifically in unreinforced masonry, as well as the design of new vaulted structures. This dissertation introduces the method and shows examples of applications in both fields. Thrust Network Analysis, masonry, historic structures, compression-only structures, limit analysis, equilibrium analysis, funicular design, form-finding, structural optimization, Gothic vaults, reciprocal diagrams. by Philippe Block. Ph.D.
Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural Tile
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Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural TileThe 4-Dimensional Masonry Construction
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and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium 2010, Shanghai, China.
- Umwelt Bundesministerium Für
Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit,
http://www.bmu.de/abfallwirtschaft/abfallarten_abfallstroeme/altpapier/doc/3146.php,
Oktober 2010, "Kurzinfo Altpapier"