Design, Analysis and Robotic Fabrication of a Bending-Active Shell Structure with Thin Sheets Based on Curved-Crease-Folding Technique

Abstract

This paper shows a design and building application of an innovative structure concept which is developed by the authors. The long-span shell structure (8m*10m*2.5m) built with 1.5mm thin aluminum sheets demonstrates the possibility to apply bending-active structures with flexible thin sheet material in shell structures to enhance the global and local stiffness. The structure is mainly originated from the curved-crease-folding technique which enhances the structural stiffness by introducing curvature to the surfaces. The Y-shape structural elements define the basic geometrical rules and find its global double-curved geometry via the folding of the three lateral ribs. The full-scale prototype and its design and fabrication techniques show a design framework of the structure from its form-finding, surface optimization, robotic simulated fabrication to the final full-scale assembly. As a pioneer pavilion in a research workshop, students' design with diverse forms also show the widely possible application of this structural concept.