Title:
Bending Parabolas: Formwork for Compression-only Structures

dc.contributor.author al Asali, Wesam
dc.contributor.author Reynolds, Thomas
dc.contributor.author Ramage, Michael
dc.contributor.corporatename Georgia Institute of Technology. College of Design en_US
dc.contributor.corporatename Georgia Institute of Technology. School of Architecture en_US
dc.contributor.corporatename University of Cambridge en_US
dc.contributor.corporatename University of Edinburgh en_US
dc.date.accessioned 2021-03-04T04:05:05Z
dc.date.available 2021-03-04T04:05:05Z
dc.date.issued 2021-02
dc.description ConCave Ph.D. Symposium 2020: Divergence in Architectural Research, March 5-6, 2020, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA. en_US
dc.description.abstract The “elastic” curves formed by a uniform buckled strut are not optimal shapes as guidework and formwork for compression-only structures. In this paper, we adapt the family of elastic curves to vaults and arches, by changing the stiffness of the strut to force it to buckle as a parabola. The approximation of elastica to parabola in a bent strip makes it useful to form-find, support, and guide the construction of vaults. Consequently, an average variation of the stiffness will form a strip that always generates parabolic arches as it moves, opens, or closes. Hence, the strip becomes a tool that always finds and describes multiple vaulted geometries that otherwise require complicated, one-use, and bulky formwork systems. The system was tested with thin-tile vaulting through building three thin-tile vaults using the bending system for simple in-situ construction. Finding simple in-situ solutions for compression-only structures advocates local grassroots construction that seeks alternatives, not only to the way we build now, but also to the way we think about design. The production of the built environment is not always in the hands of architects and engineers; a dialogue between high-knowledge analysis and low-tech everyday construction is much needed. In this particular context, the paper proposes optimizing on- site technology through design analysis that focuses on the dialogue between material behavior and craftsmanship. en_US
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/1853/64337
dc.identifier.uri https://doi.org/10.35090/gatech/83
dc.language.iso en_US en_US
dc.publisher Georgia Institute of Technology en_US
dc.relation.ispartof http://hdl.handle.net/1853/64350
dc.relation.ispartofseries ConCave Ph.D. Symposium 2020 ; Divergence in Architectural Research
dc.subject Active bending en_US
dc.subject Thin-tile vault en_US
dc.subject Construction en_US
dc.subject Geometry en_US
dc.title Bending Parabolas: Formwork for Compression-only Structures en_US
dc.title.alternative BENDING PARABOLAS: Formwork for Compression-only Structures en_US
dc.type Text
dc.type.genre Proceedings
dspace.entity.type Publication
local.contributor.corporatename College of Design
local.contributor.corporatename School of Architecture
local.relation.ispartofseries School of Architecture Symposia
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication c997b6a0-7e87-4a6f-b6fc-932d776ba8d0
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication 0533a423-c95b-41cf-8e27-2faee06278ad
relation.isSeriesOfPublication 51397d92-47f5-4662-8d60-921d15a253a7
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