Publications related to Tensile structure

Constrained Form-Finding of Tension-Compression Structures using Automatic Differentiation

This paper proposes a computational approach to form-find pin-jointed bar structures subjected to combinations of tension and compression forces. The generated equilibrium states can meet structural and geometrical constraints via gradient-based optimizati ...

ELSEVIER SCI LTD2023

Discrete Voss surfaces: Designing geodesic gridshells with planar cladding panels

Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet, Nicolas Robin Montagne, Olivier Baverel

The design and construction of doubly-curved structures often reveals to be challenging and can result in complex manufacturing and assembly. A recent strategy to tackle this difficulty consists in exploiting the connection between discrete differential ge ...

2022

Minimal mass design of active tensegrity structures

Yafeng Wang

Tensegrity structures have been widely utilized as lightweight structures due to their high stiffness-to-mass and strength-to-mass ratios. Minimal mass design of tensegrity structures subject to external loads and specific constraints (e.g., member yieldin ...

ELSEVIER SCI LTD2021

Generation of elastic geodesic gridshells with anisotropic cross sections

Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet, Nicolas Robin Montagne, Olivier Baverel

Geodesic gridshells are shell structures made of continuous elements following geodesic lines. Their properties ease the use of beams with anisotropic cross-sections by avoiding bending about their strong axis. However, such bending may arise when flatteni ...

2021

Efficient equilibrium-based stress recovery for isogeometric laminated curved structures

Pablo Antolin Sanchez, Alessandro Reali

This work extends the stress recovery for laminated composite solid plates, proposed in [1,2], to curved structures. Based on 3D Isogeometric Analysis (IGA) computations and equilibrium, this procedure uses a single element through the thickness in combina ...

ELSEVIER SCI LTD2021

Voss surfaces: A design space for geodesic gridshells

Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet, Nicolas Robin Montagne, Olivier Baverel

The design of envelopes with complex geometries often leads to construction challenges. To overcome these difficulties, resorting to discrete differential geometry proved successful by establishing close links between mesh properties and the existence of g ...

2021

A simple and effective method based on strain projections to alleviate locking in isogeometric solid shells

Pablo Antolin Sanchez, Alessandro Reali

In this work, we focus on the family of shell formulations referred to as "solid shells", where the simulation of shell-type structures is performed by means of a mesh of 3D solid elements, with typically only one element through the thickness. We propose ...

SPRINGER2020

Nondestructive Prediction of the Buckling Load of Imperfect Shells

Tobias Schneider, Emmanuel Georges Albert Virot, Emilio José Lozano Vazquez

From soda cans to space rockets, thin-walled cylindrical shells are abundant, offering exceptional load carrying capacity at relatively low weight. However, the actual load at which any shell buckles and collapses is very sensitive to imperceptible defects ...

2020

Voss Surfaces: A Design Space for Geodesic Gridshells

Corentin Jean Dominique Fivet, Nicolas Robin Montagne, Olivier Baverel

The design of envelopes with complex geometries often leads to construction challenges. To overcome these difficulties, resorting to discrete differential geometry proved successful by establishing close links between mesh properties and the existence of g ...

2020

Lighter and Stronger: Cofabricated Electrodes and Variable Stiffness Elements in Dielectric Actuators

Dario Floreano, Yegor Piskarev, Jun Shintake, Vivek Ramachandran, Michael Dickey

The inherent compliance of soft robots often makes it difficult for them to exert forces on surrounding surfaces or withstand mechanical loading. Controlled stiffness is a solution to empower soft robots with the ability to apply large forces on their envi ...

2020

Phase Changing Materials-Based Variable-Stiffness Tensegrity Structures

Dario Floreano, Jun Shintake, Davide Zappetti

Soft robots leverage deformable bodies to achieve different types of locomotion, improve transportability, and safely navigate cluttered environments. In this context, variable-stiffness structures provide soft robots with additional properties, such as th ...

2020

Rapid Deployment of Curved Surfaces via Programmable Auxetics

Mark Pauly, Mina Konakovic Lukovic, Francis Julian Panetta

Deployable structures are physical mechanisms that can easily transition between two or more geometric configurations; such structures enable industrial, scientific, and consumer applications at a wide variety of scales. This paper develops novel deployabl ...

2018

Double-layered timber plate shell. International Journal of Space Structures

Yves Weinand, Mark Pauly, Christopher Werner Matthias Robeller, Mina Konakovic Lukovic, Mira Dedijer

This article presents a new lightweight construction system for doubly curved shells made from timber plates, inspired by the masonry vaults of Eladio Dieste. The system was developed for a specific case-study project, and general applications to other fre ...

2017

Flexural quasi-static behaviour of UHPFRC and R-UHPFRC circular slab specimens

Eugen Brühwiler, Xiujiang Shen

This paper investigates experimentally and numerically the biaxial flexural behaviour of thin circular slab specimens made of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Composite (UHPFRC). The circular slab specimens represent an external tensile ...

RILEM publications S.A.R.L.2017

Post-tensioned glass beams

Jagoda Cupac

Over the last few decades, the application of glass in building construction has extended from small four-side supported windowpanes to areas traditionally reserved for other materials, such as roofs, floors, staircases and full building envelopes. Glass i ...

EPFL2017

Timber Folded Plate Structures – Topological and Structural Considerations

Yves Weinand, Andrea Stitic

This paper analyses the potential of different possible folded form topologies for generating timber folded surface structures. The main advantage of such structures lies primarily in the realm of ecology and sustainability. By offering an integral way of ...

2015

Flexural deformations of URM piers: Comparison of analytical models with experiments

Katrin Beyer, Sarah Petry

Despite the fact that displacement-based methods are now frequently applied when assessing the seismic performance of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures, the displacement capacity of in-plane loaded URM piers is still estimated from empirical rather tha ...

2014

Rotation capacity and stress redistribution ability of R-UHPFRC-RC composite continuous beams: an experimental investigation

Eugen Brühwiler, Talayeh Noshiravani

The results of tests on two continuous composite beams combining a reinforced concrete (RC) beam with a layer of reinforced ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (R-UHPFRC) are presented. The R-UHPFRC element acts both as a tensile membrane and ...

Springer Verlag2013

Concrete shells – Towards efficient structures: Construction of an ellipsoidal concrete shell in Switzerland

Aurelio Muttoni, Miguel Fernández Ruiz

Concrete shells have been widely used in the past as economical and suitable solutions for a number of structures such as roofs, silos, cooling towers or offshore platforms. Taking advantage of their single or double curvature, bending moments and shear fo ...

Structural Concrete2013

Configuration of control system for damage tolerance of a tensegrity bridge

Ian Smith, Nizar Bel Hadj Ali, Sinan Korkmaz

Tensegrity structures are spatial, discrete, and lightweight structures that are composed of struts in compression and pre-stressed cables. Stability is provided by the self-stress state between elements independently of external actions. Tensegrity struct ...

Elsevier2012