Additive manufacturing [AM] of algorithmically form generated nodes for free form space frame structures

Additive manufacturing [AM] of algorithmically form generated nodes for free form space frame structures

Mirtsopoulos, I.

De Ruiter, P. (mentor)
Borgart, A. (mentor)
Smits, J.E.P. (mentor)

Architecture and The Built Environment

Building Technology

Design Informatics & Structural Mechanics

2015-07-01

Ever since the idea of truss structures was conceived and later were expanded into three dimensional structures forming space frames, jointing has been a challenge. The evolution of jointing systems includes three main methods: connection with a node, connection with a prefabricated unit and connection without a node (e.g. welding). Delving more into the jointing methods with the use of a node, it comes out that most of the in-market available nodes for free form structures are quite complicated, multi-component, requiring time- and money-costing assembling. Moreover, being mass produced, they often use more material than would probably be needed so that they can be applicable to a variety of cases. On the hand, the development of computational design tools has led to architectural forms of extremely high complexity, which require equally complicated structural systems. However, why should these complicated, in terms of design, structural systems demand complicated jointing systems as well? And once simplicity and one-component design is ensured how can such a node be fabricated? This research aims to explore the feasibility of simplifying the jointing systems of large span spatial free form structures by additively manufactured algorithmically form generated nodes with pin-joint connections. The simple pin joint connection of MERO systems has been adopted and proposed as the jointing system of the attached bars with equally simple one-component nodes, form generated by an algorithm. Additive manufacturing’s capability of fabricating forms of high complexity can be a solution for such highly individualized nodes, optimized to bear the loads applied to their location, optimizing material usage, minimizing the total weight and cost of the structure - since they are responsible for a substantial ratio of the structure’s weight - and reducing the cost of additive manufacturing and overall construction. The first part of the research, focuses on finding the optimum additive manufacturing technique in combination with some candidate materials complying with the required mechanical and material properties of nodes. The second part where the form generating algorithm is developed, explains the generic rules related to mechanics and the constraints of additive manufacturing processes. A proposed free form double layer free form structure is used as a test case to prove the concept.

space frame structure
node
form generation
algorithmic
structural optimization
additive manufacturing
carbon fibre reinforced plastics

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5be3b884-963c-4cfb-b9ad-6bf89dfdb8d4

2020-01-01

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2015 Mirtsopoulos, I.