Form-finding and construction of ice composite shell structures
Yue Wu (Harbin Institute of Technology)
Xiuming Liu (Harbin Institute of Technology)
Qingpeng Li (TU Delft - Structural Design & Mechanics)
Boxuan Chen (Harbin Institute of Technology)
Peng Luo (Harbin Institute of Technology)
Arno Pronk (Eindhoven University of Technology)
Elke Mergny (Université de Liège)
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Abstract
By using inflatable moulds and then spraying cellulose-water mixture, one ice dome and two ice towers were built in Harbin in December 2016. During the whole process, form-finding of the inflatable moulds as well as the construction of these ice composite shell structures are very important for the final results.
The mould for the ice dome structure was a result of the manipulation of a synclastic membrane with a rope net. The mould for the ice tower structure consisted of some anticlastic surfaces. Form-finding of the inflatable moulds was conducted by the parametric tool “EasyForm” which is a self-programed plug-in in Grasshopper based on Vector Form Intrinsic Finite Element method.
In a low-temperature work environment (-10 ℃ and below), the ice shell structures were constructed on the inflatable moulds. The cellulose-water mixture was sprayed in thin layers continuously and uniformly in order to make the surface of a shell of cellulose-reinforced ice. The construction process is introduced detailedly in this paper.