Integration of form-finding, analysis process and production of a bending-active textile hybrid into one model

The goal of this research is integrating the form-finding, analysis process and production of bending-active textile hybrids (BATH) into one model, in these systems bending-active elements are combined with membrane elements. For this project Easy FSCB is used which is a software package for the engineering of membrane structures. The simultaneous form-finding approach is used which is described by Lienhard (Lienhard, 2014). Here first the bending-active element is form-found, followed by the coupled form-finding process of the membrane. Now the membrane is attached to the bending-active element in the form-finding process. To simulate the bending-active behavior in Easy FSCB, the Local Coordinate System of each beam link is manually adjusted. Here the initially straight configuration of the bending-active element is implemented. In fact, the beam links want to reset to its initial straight configuration but are attached to the membrane. In the next step the calculation of the hybrid system is executed. Here the Force-density method is used to form-find the membrane according to the deformation of the bending-active element. For validating purposes, a scale model is constructed. In fact, a prototype of the workflow described in this project. The already determined routines of Easy are used in producing the prototype including cutting patterning, compensating and plotting.