DESIGN OF A COMPRESSION STRUCTURE WITH INNER RIBS USING FORCE DENSITY METHOD & TOPOLOGICAL MAPPING

Manuel Alejandro Fernández Ruiz; Luisa Maria Gil-Martin

doi:10.5937/jaes14-10448

Manuel Alejandro Fernández Ruiz Manuel Alejandro Fernández Ruiz Department of Structural Mechanics, University of Granada (Spain)
Luisa Maria Gil-Martin

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/jaes14-10448

Keywords: Form-Finding, Topological Mapping, Force Density Method, Compression structures,

Abstract

Compression-only structures can be modelled as pin-jointed networks with all the members in compression. The final shape of the network can be computed using the Force Density Method (FDM) together with Topological Mapping (TM), introducing the self-weight iteratively until the equilibrium is found. One of the input parameters of FDM is the force-length ratio q of each member of the network. Members with a high q carry a higher level of loads, working as ribs of the structure. The designer defines the proper distribution of the ribs in the network, resulting in aesthetical final shapes. Here, a two-storey compression structure with inner ribs has been designed using TM-FDM.

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