Structures Congress 2019
The Design of an Ultra-Transparent Funicular Glass Structure
Publication: Structures Congress 2019: Blast, Impact Loading, and Research and Education
ABSTRACT
This project presents novel research in structural design and analysis of an ultra-transparent pedestrian bridge made exclusively of glass sheets in a double layer, funicular, compression-only configuration. The funicular form of the bridge maximizes its structural performance and minimizes the use of materials and resources. The structural form of the project has been developed using 3D graphic statics (3DGS) that is a geometry-based structural design method allowing the extensive exploration of funicular structural solutions in three dimensions. Using the 3DGS method results in structural forms that are polyhedral geometries with planar faces. Therefore, not only does 3DGS find the efficient structural forms, but its planarity constraint facilitates the construction using flat sheet materials. The current structure of the bridge consists of three-dimensional polyhedral cells as hollow glass blocks with planar glass faces held together in compression by using transparent silicon-based substance. The total span of the bridge is 10 m (32.81 ft) with a one-meter deck for pedestrian traffic. The asymmetric geometry of the bridge will significantly improve the behavior of the bridge under asymmetric and lateral loading conditions.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.
REFERENCES
Akbarzadeh, M. (2016). 3D Graphic Statics Using Polyhedral Reciprocal Diagrams. PhD thesis, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Akbarzadeh, M., Mahnia, M., Taherian, R., and Tabrizi, A. H. (2017). Prefab, concrete polyhedral frame: Materializing 3d graphic statics. In Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2017, Interfaces: architecture. engineering. science. IASS.
Akbarzadeh, M., Van Mele, T., and Block, P. (2014). Compression-only form finding through finite subdivision of the external force polygon. In J.B., O. and Tarczewski, R., editors, Proceedings of the IASS-SLTE Symposium 2014, Brasilia, Brazil.
Akbarzadeh, M., Van Mele, T., and Block, P. (2015a). 3d Graphic Statics: Geo- metric construction of global equilibrium. In Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium, Amsterdam.
Akbarzadeh, M., Van Mele, T., and Block, P. (2015b). On the equilibrium of funicular polyhedral frames and convex polyhedral force diagrams. Computer- Aided Design, 63:118–128.
Akbarzadeh, M., Van Mele, T., and Block, P. (2015c). Spatial compression-only form finding through subdivision of external force polyhedron. In Proceedings of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) Symposium, Amsterdam.
Block, P. (2009). Thrust Network Analysis: Exploring Three-dimensional Equilibrium. PhD thesis, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Block, P., Van Mele, T., Liew, A., DeJong, M., Escobedo, D., and Ochsendorf, J. (2018). Structural design, fabrication and construction of the armadillo vault. The Structural Engineer, 96(5):10–20.
Bolhassani, M., Akbarzadeh, M., Mahnia, M., and Taherian, R. (2017). On structural behavior of the first funicular polyhedral frame designed by 3d graphic statics. Journal of Building Engineering, Under review.
Bolhassani, M., Tabatabaei Ghomi, A., Nejur, A., and Akbarzadeh, M. (2018). Structural behavior of a cast-in-place funicular polyhedral concrete: Applied 3d graphic statics. In Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018, Creativity in Structural Design, MIT, Boston, USA.
Cremona, L. (1890). Graphical Statics: Two Treatises on the Graphical Calculus and Reciprocal Figures in Graphical Statics. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Culmann, K. (1864). Die Graphische Statik. Verlag Meyer & Zeller, Zürich.
Fivet, C. and Zastavni, D. (2013). Constraint-based graphic statics: New paradigms of computer-aided structural equilibrium design. Journal of the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures, 54(4):271–280.
Maxwell, J. C. (1864). On reciprocal figures and diagrams of forces. Philosophical Magazine and Journal Series, 4(27):250–261.
McNeel, R. (2014). Rhinoceros: NURBS modeling for Windows. Computer software.
McRobie, A. (2016). Maxwell and Rankine reciprocal diagrams via Minkowski sums for 2D and 3D trusses under load. International Journal of Space Structures, 31:115–134.
Nejur, A. and Akbarzadeh, M. (2018). Polyframe beta: a geometry-based structural form finding plugin for rhinoceros3d. https://www.food4rhino.com/app/polyframe.
Ochsendorf, J. and Freeman, M. (2013). Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural Tile. Princeton Architectural Press.
Rankine, M. (1864). Principle of the equilibrium of polyhedral frames. Philosophical Magazine, 27(180):92.
Wolfe, W. S. (1921). Graphical Analysis: A Text Book on Graphic Statics. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.
Zastavni, D. (2008). The Structural Design of Maillart’s Chiasso Shed (1924): a Graphic Procedure. Structural Engineering International, 18(3):247–252.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Structures Congress 2019: Blast, Impact Loading, and Research and Education
Pages: 405 - 413
Editor: James Gregory Soules, McDermott International
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8224-7
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Apr 22, 2019
Published in print: Apr 22, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.