Design and Analysis of an Adaptive Bending-Active Plate Gridshell

Adaptive structural systems possess the ability of geometrical and mechanical adjustment with regard to changing functional, loading, or environmental conditions. In particular, gridshells following bending-active principles in their deformation behavior, require a comprehensive approach in dealing with aspects of form-finding and adaptive structural behavior. The respective framework provides systems of multi-curvature configurations with transformability capabilities that are implemented through a step-by-step process of an initially non-deformed planar grid. In the current paper an adaptive bending-active plate gridshell is proposed. This is a proposal of a structural concept and not of a specific structural/architectural solution. It consists of an array of paired elastic member stripes, which combined with interconnecting telescopic bars and cables of variable length connecting the supports, operate the necessary deformation in providing the system's planar expansion and erection. The topology of the structure and its configurability are initially digitally investigated. Twelve different cases have been developed, based on control parameters of the supports' displacement and the telescopic tubes' length modification. A particular system configuration has been realized in a small-scale model, and further investigated following a sequential nonlinear static Finite-Element Analysis (FEA), in its form-finding and load-deformation behavior.