Computations brad elsbury

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

The Hopeful Monster Complex geometries through computational methods

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04 Abstract Summary

05 Aims Trying to Accomplish 06 Significance What It contributes to Society

09 Method

How I got there

10 Form Finding on Global Scale 12 Form Finding on Regional Scale (Panel)

14 Results The Form and Numbers 16 Fabrication 18 Digital Connection & Mold Making 20 Form Finding on Regional Scale (Panel)

24 Going Forward

Oklahoma State University

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ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

2

key goal

Double Curved Concrete Panels

Abstract:

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

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Since the advent of algorithmic architectural design methods, panelized systems utilizing traditional structure to support curvature have been approximated to linear structural methods rather than integrated strategies. This is due to the difficulties of structural integrity of the panel itself. Introducing an affordable fabrication process as well as integrated structure for developable and non-developable panels will allow for better exploration of their structural and architectural performance. The focus is to develop an affordable numerically driven process that will allow for further exploration of the performative qualities of these panels and exploit that on an architectural scale.

Keywords: Complex Geometry, Low Tech Processes, Digital Control, Composite Shell Structure, Panelized structural panels, Reshapable / Reusable Form work, Material Efficiency, Reduced Waste, Non Developable Panels. Structural autonomy, looping, force vector Domain: Parametrically designed composite systems requiring many uniquely shaped developable and non-developable panel geometries have become synonymous with prohibitively high construction costs. As a result projects with complex geometric ambitions paired with modest budgets have found a workable compromise by using geometric simplification or approximation to avoid curvature challenges altogether. In recent years, parametric tools have enabled such approximations for the purpose of complex geometry in an effort to manage costs.

Our domain of research lies in progressing the exploration of affordable fabrication methods as well as lighter secondary, tertiary support structure of these panels by utilizing an adaptive structural integrity to the panel in tandem with reusable molding methods of the curved surfaces. The performative potential of these surfaces would decrease the need for sub structures, in that adding to their cost effectiveness and reducing the material waste.

The exploration will be carried by testing and analyzing surface topologies and different plastic materials with computational reinforcement of which the panels will be fabricated from. It will benefit as will from precedent studies in Algorithmic structure such as the work of MIT, Hรถweler + Yoon Architecture and John Ochsendorf.

This is in the aim to decrease the gap in fabrication cost between the developable and non-developable panels, and expose their performative potential.

AIMS

Trying To accomplish/ Precedents

Site Work The goal of the project was to figure out and execute a computational way to incorporate Finite element analysis in conjunction with genetics using Grasshopper. The scope of the project was to find a way to digitally fabricate and execute complex double curves into form making fabrication processes while for filling certain requirements. The site was giving on Perkins, Oklahoma. The existing infrastructure was already in place and the key goal was to create a way to fill in the gaps and increase the storage of grain. The existing criteria was to not interfere with the existing structure and to not connect to it in any way.

In other words to Dodge and expand to create while maintaining structural stability all while not using linear construction methods.

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Summary

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Abstract

Precedents

Ways to produce

Pro/Con

Potentials

Life Span: 15-30 years Time to Construct On site: Four Days Crew:Two people Additional Requirements: Ships well / easy assembly / preorder

Metal Structure The Technique is to have a corrugated Panels connected with vertical ribs. Then the how layer is lifted and repeated.

Life Span: 100 years Time to Construct On site: Months Crew: Two people Additional Requirements: Scaffolding / joinery on multiple levels / accuracy minimal Loss of time

Concrete Form Work The Concrete form-work panel method is used to connect panels together with a horizontal metal band. Then in tern is stacked and used to go vertical.

Life Span: 100 years + Time to Construct On site: Weeks Crew: Several Crews Different Specialties Additional Requirements: Scaffolding / Complex machinery / Cranes / Trucks

Modern Continuous pour This Method is done with a continuous pour. Form-work is pushed up the structure and concrete is poured between the panels.

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Loss of space

Waste of resources on site/ complex equipment

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

6

Digital Form Finding

Oklahoma State University ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Octopus Octopus is a plug-in for applying evolutionary principles to parametric design and problem solving. It allows the search for many goals at once, producing a range of optimized trade-off solutions between the extremes of each goal. Octopus introduces multiple fitness values to the optimization. The best trade-offs between those objectives are searched, producing a set of possible optimum solutions that ideally reach from one extreme trade-off to the other.

Panel Form Finding Using Octopus

Based on SPEA-2 and HypE from ETH Zßrich and David Rutten’s Galapagos User Interface. Developed by Robert Vierlinger in cooperation with Christoph Zimmel, karamba3d.com and Bollinger+Grohmann Engineers.

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Karamba Karamba is a parametric structural engineering tool which provides accurate analysis of spatial trusses, frames and shells. Karamba is fully embedded in the parametric design environment of Grasshopper, a plug-in for the 3d modeling tool Rhinoceros. This makes it easy to combine parameterized geometric models, finite element calculations and optimization algorithms.

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ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Method

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

OPTION 1 At the beginning the ambition was to fill a box with larger circles. Then go in and fill it with smaller ones until there was no space left around the object. Like packing peanuts.

This method had many flaws such as brute force computations and computer resources. In addition the method gave way to a possible solution for the local scale. It provided a way to get extremely close to the silos while achieving a double curve. In addition the overall culling of the volume gave a benchmark of the volume of the space that grain can occupy the site. Giving us a Extreme.

OPTION 2 Option 2 was a novel approach and involved a vein like structure. The intention was to drop a point in space and have data trees go and collide with the object.

This method proved to give the plug and play idea for multiple application but proved to be clunky in terms of space optimization. The trade off if this was done on multiple sites and was used for a commercial application.

One challenge was managing the different levels of data as it collided with an object.

CONTROLLING THE LINES

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SUEDO CODE Groups of 4 lines were drawn around the silos in question. Then the end points were connected between the different lines. A vector direction with a line was given a distance to create a circle. Then all computational as well as drawn lines were joined to complete the circuit. The circles are now 4 different genes to make the form.

STAGE 3 The top of the silo was made by connecting the division lines of the polylines on the top of the extrusion to a single point in space. After that the black Lines were divided and smoothed to create the horizontal polyline. This in tern gave 5 polylines that could be offset in the xy plane to give extra genes. The top point was sliced to create an opening.

STAGE 2 The resulting polyline was extruded and then given a division of points on the top and bottom.

This was needed to cull out kinks in the form as well as for the top form to connect to.

Failures The initial form itself proved to be a challenge due to the confines of the site and the dodging of the silos. The form would “snag� the silos trying to turn in several directions.

In addition kinks were eliminated by smoothing the lines of the form before creating a surface. In addition this also proved negative results. With over 25 genes controlling different aspects seems troublesome for the computational hardware. The solution was to go vertical for the height of the silos and attack the dome where most of the loads shifted and global form converged to a point. This gave better results but needed to be refined.

A greater yield was giving by directing the opening with a xy direction to be able to shift away from the bigger structure.

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Oklahoma State University

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Option 3

Fill a Glass of marbles

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Option 1/2

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Panel Undulation

Synopsis The foam panel shown here gives a example of what was supposed to achieved. This was the negative form of option one in the form finding on the global scale.

This undulation was critical due to the varying form on the global scale. It proved that it could be adjusted with 4 genes and provide. By keeping this shape constantly having double curvature to stiffen the shell it also provided a path for the gravity load to the footing. This form could also vary widely based on the weight of the form.

Several attempts were tried to make this. The most efficient solution was to cull. The others included scripting code to grab individual points across multiple data trees and different branches within proved to be too complex.

Time lapse of distribution of a single point load on the undulation to show stresses

Step 1 Using a cylinder to divide surface into 11 different columns in the U direction.

Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Each column was then culled alternating After that the individual within the column Each 0 was offset from its original plane between odds and evens sets. were culled into odds and evens . on the surface and polylines to give basic network surface U coordinates.

Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Then the adjacent column culled was The U and Vs were connected and giving Network surface created repeated and weaved between to give the several genes to get the undulation. back and forth between data trees to get V.

Amplitude Set 1: 0 Amplitude Set 2: 0 V Count: 60.0 U Count: 60.0 *Deformation: .00005385

Amplitude Set 1: 2.0 Amplitude Set 2: 2.0 V Count: 50.0 U Count: 75.0 *Deformation: .000154

Amplitude Set 1: 2.0 Amplitude Set 2: 2.0 V Count: 5.0 U Count: 3.0 *Deformation: .023023

Amplitude Set 1: 6.0 Amplitude Set 2: 9.0 V Count: 30.0 U Count: 60.0 *Deformation: .000698

Amplitude Set 1: 4.0 Amplitude Set 2: 2.0 V Count: 15.0 U Count: 30.0 *Deformation: .000854

Amplitude Set 1: 4.0 Amplitude Set 2: 3.0 V Count: 2.0 U Count: 2.0 *Deformation: .002154

Amplitude Set 1: 8.0 Amplitude Set 2: 6.0 V Count: 2.0 U Count: 2.0 *Deformation: .005174

Amplitude Set 1: 30.0 Amplitude Set 2: 20.0 V Count: 35.0 U Count: 15.0 *Deformation: .02374

Testing The goal was to set the amplitude of points off from the original surface and test several options to see the deformation. The table above shows that the more columns and rows you have on a space (more undulation) the less the stress on the form. The threshold happens when spikes leave the center of gravity. This model only shows a point load on the top of the cylinder. Nodes were created at each undulation tip. * Deformation based on a percentage of overall change. Not a unit of measurement.

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Panel Deformation

Foam Method

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Panel Formation

Results

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Octopus Outcome Undulation Set 1: .32 Undulation Set 2 1.68 V Count: 114 U Count: 71 Polyline top1-5: Between .3-5 Circle Diameter 1: 24.0 Circle Diameter 2: 16.0 Circle Diameter 3: 28.0 Circle Diameter 4: 12.0 Height Sides: 35 Height Dome: 47 Opening x: 59 Opening Y: 158 VOLUME: 65,527 CUBIC FEET AREA:19,558 SQ-FT MASS: 782,000 POUNDS DEFORMATION: .035

Octopus Overall this result was successful with minimal circumference of the outreaching silos as shown in the Octopus outcome. Only 5 generations with 5 populations were done due to the processing power as well as the complexity of the form finding process. Many were dispatched and confined to hard to produce a see able result. In other-words it wasn’t distinctive to the eye. Many of the 25 genes were reduced and given a hard number due to the failures of twisting and overlapping of the surface causing a false. Genes were restricted but there never was a viable solution for that many factors. To combat this a True False was incorporated into the script. The Parameters also had to be simplified for computing purposes.

Simplified Volume techniques and grabbing vertical sections to get a general area of the form was added. In addition thickness was confined to speed up results. The Fitness Criteria were Volume ( 5 polylines were surfaced along the form and extruded based on height to give a general approximation), Area (5 Sections shown in white were taken around the form), Mass (5 sections around the form shown in white were calculated), Deformation was using several point loads on the roof and opening of the surface.

Global Form The overall global form in addition to the regional panel proved to be cooperating harmoniously. After several tweaks to the script including dispatching collisions not only between the panels themselves on the surface but with the silos themselves. The confines of the space also proved challenging for the regional panel because the panel interfered with the silos at the choke points. Another thing to mention would be that the smoothness was effected as you see at the top. A twisting effect happened when the form offsets were adjusted and the network surface shifted. The option shown above gives 1 of 3 viable solutions out of 25.

Structural The Point loads are shown in Red and the Green are where the most load is located. Its an overall percentage of the form not an actual value. As the model informs the load is coming off the roof into the footing.

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University

14

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Method Digital Form Finding

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FABRICATION

CONNECTION

Taking a section

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Trough

When panels are rotated in the z direction undercuts form

Original Connection

After pulling a cutout of the actual form we decided that 3 panels would prove the concept. Creating a connection there were many ideas that included re-bar and epoxy methods. The original was a pop sized can cut out of the form and filled with additional concrete after assembly.

This proved good for a 2d planar surfaces such as roads.

After looking further into the methods I found that a rod stitching method would work in 3 dimensions. By taking the surface splitting the form I could divide it and find the center. Then take the Normal to slice through the panel Thus making it easy and automatic connections throughout the whole form. Pockets were also embedded into the form to hold the all thread and locking nuts. The idea of the panel size was to make it manageable to move

No undercuts. Just rotated in the xy plane

Stitching with all thread. It Goes through the Highs and lows between the panels

Digital Version Final form in half

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

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Overall section including panels

Mold Making Digitally The biggest Challenge was that the CNC only was a 3 axis. The way we could fabricate linear way. By contouring several levels of foam we could dissect and construct a panel. The original Idea was to cut 3 panels in 1 piece of 4X8 foam. This proved difficult due to the CNC software. A single panel was then fabricated to handle the complex geometries. The forms themselves couldn’t be moved out of the Z plane as shown below.

This causes undercuts during fabrication. The result is several pieces.

The constructing of the mold was a slice along the curve and then have the CNC contour your contour. This method would allow several forms to be cut from one sheet and avoid undercutting of other panels in the configuration. One consideration was pouring. Trying to avoid ceilings.

STAGE 1 Foam was bought in 4’x8’ by 6in/4in/6in thickness.

STAGE 5 Pulling the form.

STAGE 7 Lining up and putting together.

STAGE 10 THE DUMBEST THING EVER DON’T GLUE THE MOLD TOGETHER!!!!!!!!

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STAGE 6 The contours were then laid out with gorilla glue.

STAGE 11 STAGE 12 Compression of clamps to let the glue dry also used Final mold with form inside. in pouring for a vibration spot .

STAGE 8 STAGE 9 Anchoring was needed in some locations to hold the Final form with glue dried. glue and compress the mold

STAGE 13 STAGE 14 STAGE 15 Don’t glue mold together. You have to chisel it out. A Final form released from foam and cleaned with a Stepping shown for detail.

Vaseline is recommended to release form. wire brush.

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University

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STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4 Drilling and taping to table was needed to keep the Stepping the CNC in a single direction during Final forms were cut from the 3 pieces of foam. contoured shapes in place. fabrication gives uniformity between panels.

Moving Forward

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The process of the form finding to the actual fabrication shows that it just might work.

Having one panel fabricated shows the actual weight and size of the panel. One thing to continue to research is the optimization of the global form itself. To figure out how to make it adapt in many different situations as well as speeding up the process of manual labor during fabrication. I believe with more technology we can be able to fabricate more dynamic material without the mold process. In addition the waste used using conventional CNC machines creates a hassle. Exploring a way to fabricate multiple panels at once or slice the foam with a wire cutter instead of carving could be useful.

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University

22

Special Thanks

I would like to thank Professor Carroll for giving me the computational knowledge and guiding me to the next level of architecture.

A kind and special thanks to David Horton for the countless hours in the shop making sure he did what it took to get a final result.

Giant shout out to Jenni Lane, Zach Burson, Jordan Rogers, & Austin Mitchell for supporting my dreams to be the best I can be.

Oklahoma State University

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ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

Oklahoma State University

24

Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

ARCH 4100-ADV TOPICS IN DIGITAL DESIGN+ Brad Elsbury & Professor Stan Carroll

The Hopeful Monster Complex geometries through computational methods

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