Finding Membrane Shells Subjected to Horizontal Body Forces with Radial Basis Functions

Membrane shells, which have minimized bending moments under certain load conditions, are regarded as ideal structural forms in terms of material efficiency. Most of the existing numerical form-finding methods are based on discretizing membranes into finite panels or funicular networks and focusing on gravitational loading only. In order to...

An approach on form-diversity of free-form shells generated from numerical hanging models

The Vector Form Intrinsic Finite Element method and several other form-finding methods for general networks

Discrete networks is a kind of form-active structural system which actively change its shape under varying load conditions. And for this kind of structural system, form-finding is the initial and essential part in their design process. Before the computer age, people complete the form-finding process using physical models, while with the...

Form-finding of gridshells generated from hanging-chain models by using the Dynamic Relaxation method and the NURBS technique

Hanging models play an important role in shaping a structure since a very early age, and were favored by A. Gaudi, H. Isler, F. Otto and other architects or engineers. Nowadays, with the development of numerical analysis theory and computer technique, it is more accurate and convenient to simulate these physical models via numerical means. Based...