Shell Structures for Architecture Form Finding and Optimization

Bringing together experts from research and practice, Shell Structures for Architecture: Form Finding and Optimization presents contemporary design methods for shell and gridshell structures, covering form-finding and structural optimization techniques. It introduces architecture and engineering practitioners and students to structural shells and provides computational techniques to develop complex curved structural surfaces, in the form of mathematics, computer algorithms, and design case studies.

• Part I introduces the topic of shells, tracing the ancient relationship between structural form and forces, the basics of shell behaviour, and the evolution of form-finding and structural optimization techniques.

• Part II familiarizes the reader with form-finding techniques to explore expressive structural geometries, covering the force density method, thrust network analysis, dynamic relaxation and particle-spring systems.

• Part III focuses on shell shape and topology optimization, and provides a deeper understanding of gradient-based methods and meta-heuristic techniques.

• Part IV contains precedent studies of realised shells and gridshells describing their innovative design and construction methods.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements  Contents  On architects and engineers  Sharing the same spirit  Introduction  Part 1: Shells for Architecture  1. Exploring shell forms, John Ochsendorf, Philippe Block  2. Shaping forces, Laurent Ney, Sigrid Adriaenssens  3. What is a shell? Chris Williams  4. Physical modelling and form finding, Bill Addis  5. Computational form finding and optimization, Kai-Uwe Bletzinger, Ekkehard Ramm  Part 2: Form Finding  6. Force density method, Klaus Linkwitz  7. Thrust network analysis, Philippe Block, Lorenz Lachauer, Matthias Rippmann  8. Dynamic relaxation, Sigrid Adriaenssens, Mike Barnes, Richard Harris, Chris Williams  9. Particle-spring systems, Shajay Bhooshan, Diederik Veenendaal, Philippe Block  10. Comparison of form-finding methods, Diederick Veenendaal, Philippe Block  11. Steering of form, Axel Kilian  Part 3: Structural Optimization  12. Nonlinear force density method, Klaus Linkwitz, Diederick Veenendaal  13. Best-fit thrust network analysis, Tom Van Mele, Daniele Panozzo, Olga Sorkine-Hornung, Philippe Block  14. Discrete topology optimization, James N. Richardson, Sigrid Adriaenssens, Rajan Filomeno Coelho, Philippe Bouillard  15. Multi-criteria gridshell optimization, Peter Winslow  16. Eigenshells, Panagiotis Michalatos, Sawako Kaijima  17. Homogenization method, Irmgard Lochner-Aldinger, Axel Schumacher  18. Computational morphogenesis, Alberto Pugnale, Tomás Méndez Echenagucia, Mario Sassone  Part 4: Precedents  19. The Multihalle and the British Museum, Chris Williams  20. Félix Candela and Heinz Isler, Maria E. Moreyra Garlock, David P. Billington  21. Structural design of free-curved RC shells, Mutsuro Sasaki  The congeniality of architecture and engineering, Patrik Schumacher  Appendices:  22. The finite element method in a nutshell, Chris Williams  23. Differential geometry and shell theory, Chris Williams  24. Genetic algorithms for structural design, Rajan Filomeno Coelho, Tomás Méndez Echenagucia, Alberto Pugnale, James N. Richardson  25. Subdivision surfaces, Paul Shepherd  Index  Bibliography  List of Credits  List of Projects  List of Contributors