ForTen 4000 (c)

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by Gerry D'Anza

Tensile Structures Form Finding Techniques

The Concept of Form Finding in Architecture is a old topic:

Used in conjunction with
several construction
technologies , today we
consider
The form finding problem a
solved issue

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concept design & analytical models

Many systems are available today for who wants to investigate the large topic of Tensile Structure design,
I remember just fifteen years ago that form-finding tools where available only to big engineering firms,
mainly in house developed, and it was quite impossible for a young architect or engineer get a basic
knowledge of this technology.
Today's scenario has changed and its quite easy to get a software tool able to find a relaxed shape
that satisfies the main rule for tensile structures : negative Gaussian geometry at each point of the
surface to guarantee equilibrium under any applied load.

The main theory on which these tools rely on are :

FDM - Force Density Method
DR - Dynamic Relaxation
FEM - Non Linear FEA methods
URS - Update reference strategy

These systems have proven to be reliable by a huge number of structures

realized in the past years

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Form-finding modules

Linear
LinearFDM
FDMModule
Module

Non
NonLinear
LinearFDM
FDMModule
Module

Pres
-stressed membrane
Pres-stressed
membrane
ororcable
net
cable net

URS
URSModule
Module

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Integration with FEA analysis

Linear
LinearFDM
FDMModule
Module

Non
NonLinear
LinearFDM
FDMModule
Module

Pres
-stressed membrane
Pres-stressed
membrane
ororcable
net
cable net
Supporting
SupportingStructures
Structures
Steel,concrete,wood
Steel,concrete,wood

Final shape with membrane,cables,steel

Final shape with membrane,cables,steel
In equilibrium with desired prestress
In equilibrium with desired prestress

FEM
FEMAnalysis
Analysis

URS
URSModule
Module

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Available Modules and WIP modules ( work in progress )

Not available yet to end user

Linear
LinearFDM
FDMModule
Module

Non
NonLinear
LinearFDM
FDMModule
Module

Pres
-stressed membrane
Pres-stressed
membrane
ororcable
net
cable net
Supporting
SupportingStructures
Structures
Steel,concrete,wood
Steel,concrete,wood

Final shape with membrane,cables,steel

Final shape with membrane,cables,steel
In equilibrium with desired prestress
In equilibrium with desired prestress

FEM
FEMAnalysis
Analysis

Structural Analysis
Structural
Analysis
for
wind,snow
etc
for wind,snow etc

URS
URSModule
Module

Patterning
Patterning

Connection
Connection
Details
Connection
Details
Details

Design codes
Design codes
EC3
EC3

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FDM Form-Finder introduction

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Force Density module

Force Density or FDM is a the most simple method and comes in two
flavours : Linear and Non Linear

General net equations of equilibrium

X = 0;

[
k

Y = 0;
Z= 0;

[
k

[
k

F ij
k
ij
k
ij
k
ij

L
F

F ijk
L

k
ij

x j x i

Px i ]= 0 ;

y j yi

Py i ]= 0 ;

z j zi

Pz i ]= 0 ;

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Force Density module

With the non-linear FDM method we are able to set different properties :

k
ij

C =

F
L

k
ij
k
ij

Force Density Linearisation

With the non-linear method we can specify :

k
ij

F = Force of Element
k
ij

L = Length of Element
Lu kij = Unstrained Length of Element
The method is well suited to find cable systems where specific requirements are needed

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Force Density module

Example of FDM Non-Linear model

GMG Motors
Baku Group DT
Design & Engineering

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Force Density module

Example of FDM Non-Linear model

GMG Motors
Baku Group DT
Design & Engineering

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Force Density module

Example of FDM Non-Linear model

GMG Motors
Baku Group DT
Design & Engineering

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Force Density module

Example of FDM Non-Linear model

GMG Motors
Baku Group DT
Design & Engineering

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Force Density module

URS Form-Finder introduction

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URS module

URS Update reference strategy

The Updated Reference Strategy (URS) for form finding of membrane structures has been developed by
Prof. Kai-Uwe Bletzinger of the TU Mnchen (Germany)
For a given topology of a membrane structure and given stress state in the structural elements
(pre-tension in the membrane and cables), the corresponding equilibrium shape has to be determined.
The URS represents a generalization of the well-known force density method.
Due to its continuum-mechanical basis, the method is applicable to both cable and membrane elements
without any restrictions:
E.g. an arbitrary stress state can be specified for the membrane, which can be isotropic in order to generate
real minimal surfaces or orthogonally anisotropic, which is very helpful for form finding of textile structures
with warp and weft direction.
It is even possible to consistently include pressure forces, which are acting always normal to the surface at
every state of the procedure,in the form finding process of pneumatic structures such as air-inflated
cushions.

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URS module

URS Module Key Features :

Surface Quad-Mesh & Tri-Mesh elements taken in account

Warp & Weft direction set by user via U-V mapping control
Cables controlled by pretension or Force Density value
Truss elements controlled by stiffness
Constant ,Linear & quadratic stress law specified over the surface
Internal pressure for pneumatics
Fast direct sparse matrix solver
Visualization of final stress over the surface & reaction forces
at fixed nodes

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URS module

URS Module Key Features :

Surface Quad-Mesh & Tri-Mesh elements taken in account

Warp & Weft direction set by user via U-V mapping control
Cables controlled by pretension or Force Density value
Truss elements controlled by stiffness
Constant ,Linear & quadratic stress law specified over the surface
Internal pressure for pneumatics
Fast direct sparse matrix solver
Visualization of final stress over the surface & reaction forces
at fixed nodes

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URS module

Hypar

U-V
Coordinates
Blue=Warp
Red= Weft

Fibre orientation Is simply controlled by u-v mapping

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URS module

Hypar

U-V
Coordinates
Blue=Warp
Red= Weft

Stress distribution based on fibre direction

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URS module

Conical shape = setting up u-v coordinates for warp-weft fiber direction

U-V mapping = warp-weft fibre

Shape after 1 step

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URS module

Norwegian expo Pavilion, Shanghai 2010

Architecture: HHA Norway
Engineering: Sweco, Khing, studioLD
Form finding detailing: studioLD

Modeled with URS from Rhino-Membrane

Size:
35 x 56m
Height:
13m
Size individual 4 point sail:
12 x12m
Membrane surface area: 2600m

Membrane Material:
Edge-belt:
Structure:

Gore Tenara Architectural fabric 4T20

Polyester
Gluelam timber

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URS Module

Form-finding challenge

Modeled with URS from Rhino-Membrane

4 point sails must work as part of the entire roof as well as individually for later use:

-The design idea of the pavilion is to use individual umbrellas made of individual 4-Point sails and timber trees set up as a group of 15
for the expo and individually after the expo.
-Therefore the form has to work both in the continuous surface as well as the individual sails, here the eyelet pre-stress is chosen lower
than main membrane and all edge cables have the same geometry with different pre-stress.

The form must offer a mesh suitable for export into Finite-Element software:
-Mesh must be harmonious to get good convergence and realistic stress plots
-Shallow angles in corners must be avoided otherwise you get unrealistically high stresses, therefore mesh is made more dense in the
eyelet corners before export.

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URS Module

Form-finding challenge

Modeled with URS from Rhino-Membrane

4 point sails must work as part of the entire roof as well as individually for later use:

-The design idea of the pavilion is to use individual umbrellas made of individual 4-Point sails and timber trees set up as a group of 15
for the expo and individually after the expo.
-Therefore the form has to work both in the continuous surface as well as the individual sails, here the eyelet pre-stress is chosen lower
than main membrane and all edge cables have the same geometry with different pre-stress.

The form must offer a mesh suitable for export into Finite-Element software:
-Mesh must be harmonious to get good convergence and realistic stress plots
-Shallow angles in corners must be avoided otherwise you get unrealistically high stresses, therefore mesh is made more dense in the
eyelet corners before export.

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Plan design of sambil barquisimeto

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Plan design of sambil barquisimeto

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Plan design of sambil barquisimeto

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Port of Bari : Cover for waiting area. Design by Baku Group Dt Architects

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Port of Bari : Cover for waiting are. Design by Baku Group Dt Architects

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Port of Bari : Cover for waiting are. Design by Baku Group Dt Architects

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Bridigine college
Shade to order
Kakkuri finland
Membrane & steel
g.danza,l.dibenedetto

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Modeling, Analysis & Patterning overview

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Patterning Module & special features

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Patterning a flower

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Patterning a flower

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Patterning a boat cover

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Patterning Module

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Patterning a boat cover

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Patterning Module

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IsCube steel detailing

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Thank You
Gerry D'Anza