Abstract
To understand the spatial and structural building design process and to help designers involved, the idea of a research engine has been developed: In this engine cyclic transformations take place between spatial and structural building designs. With this engine, a design process can be studied closely and subjected to improvement, and designers can be supported. The transformation from spatial to structural design consists of four sub transformations: (1) from spatial design to structural topology, (2) from structural topology to mechanical model, (3) from mechanical model to finite element model, and (4) from finite element model to design recommendations. Because in step (1) architectural elements are transformed into structural elements only, the resulting structural topologies are not a-priori kinematically determined. Therefore, in step (2), one of the problems to solve is the exact description of a kinematically indeterminable topology (at which nodes does spatial freedom exists and in which direction). In this paper a method for this description and its implementation will be presented, developed at RWTH Aachen University during a stay of the first author. The method starts with assigning specific finite elements, which define a relationship between element nodal forces and displacements, to each architectural element: Architectural columns are made by truss-elements, architectural beams with beam-elements, and architectural walls and floors are transformed into flat shell elements. For each element the local stiffness matrix and local coordinate system are calculated, whereafter global element stiffness matrices can be derived. These are merged into a system stiffness matrix, which is subsequently reduced for boundary conditions and reduced elements. Now, the null space of the stiffness matrix can be calculated, using the technique of singular value decomposition, which yields, after some further processing, exactly defined modes of spatial freedom related to the structural topology. The method was implemented for general 3D-cases in C++ and was checked for specific problems, which will also be presented in the paper. For further transformations in the research engine, the modes of spatial freedom should be suppressed, thus resulting in a kinematically determined structure that can be subjected to structural (and later architectural) optimization. In this paper also some suggestions will be made for methods (to be developed), which will make the design kinematically determined. The methods presented, partly implemented and partly in development, will be part of the research engine and as such will provide support to spatial and structural building designers and will provide insight and new developments in the design process of buildings itself.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | CONVR2009, Proceedings of the 9th international conference on construction applications of virtual reality, November 5-6, 2009, Sydney, Australia |
Editors | Xiangyu Wang, Ning Gu |
Place of Publication | Sydney, Australia |
Publisher | University of Sydney |
Pages | 247-256 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-1-74210-145-3 |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Event | conference; CONVR2009, 9th international conference on construction applications of virtual reality, November 5-6, 2009, Sydney, Australia; 2009-11-05; 2009-11-06 - Duration: 5 Nov 2009 → 6 Nov 2009 |
Conference
Conference | conference; CONVR2009, 9th international conference on construction applications of virtual reality, November 5-6, 2009, Sydney, Australia; 2009-11-05; 2009-11-06 |
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Period | 5/11/09 → 6/11/09 |
Other | CONVR2009, 9th international conference on construction applications of virtual reality, November 5-6, 2009, Sydney, Australia |