IASS 2021 | Hybrid Bending Active Systems: A Novel Application of Carbon Fiber in Lightweight Structures

In Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) International Conference. Guildford, UK.

Abstract

The recent development of bending-active structures has broadened the opportunity for extensive
exploration into the design of efficient, lightweight, bending-active structural systems. Moreover, the
design and use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) have expanded significantly in recent years
and transformed industrial applications, including aerospace, automotive, and marine engineering.
CFRP is a lightweight material with exceptionally high strength to stiffness ratios rendering it ideal for
bending-active applications. A distinctive approach in this research is the novel application of CFRP in
a bending-active hybrid lightweight roof system.

This research expands the current potential to which computational form-finding and finite element
analysis can be used for bending-active structures design optimization. The main objective of this
research is to examine the construction of a hybrid CFRP plate, cables, and tensile membrane
lightweight roof structure for an amphitheater design. The bending-active plates composed entirely of
layers of CFRP, which are bent and stabilized by cables in tension-dominating configuration supports
the tensile membrane. As bending-active structures increase in scale, CFRP cable-stabilized aches are
simpler to fabricate than a CFRP grid shell of comparable strength and can be individually assembled
on-site by tensioning into position from a flat plate. The funicular form of the arches, developed using
computational form findings and structural optimization algorithms, result in a high-performance
structure while reducing material usage, making it structurally efficient while reinforcing the overall
architectural expression.

This research examines the fabrication methods of a physical structural scale model for the study of a
hybrid CFRP bending-active structure and analyzes the forces and internal stresses throughout each
component. The procedure includes computational form-finding simulation, finite element analysis, and
fabrication techniques. The work presented in this paper investigates the overall research methodology
with an emphasis on design, assembly, analysis, and preliminary assessment of hybrid bending-active
structure system.

Watch the short presentation on YouTube

Keywords: bending-active hybrid structures, bending-active plates, carbon fiber reinforced polymers,
computational form-finding, finite element analysis, structural optimization.