Reconfigurable molds and a fabrication-aware design tool for manufacturing concrete grid structures. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baghi, Ali; Kalantari, Saleh; Baghi, Aryan
• Is Part Of: International journal of architectural computing. Volume 20:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 420
• Page End: 433
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Reconfigurable formwork -- concrete casting -- concrete joints -- fabrication-aware design tool; Architecture -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Architecture -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Virtual reality in architecture -- Periodicals; Computer-aided design -- Periodicals; Architecture -- Data processing; Periodicals; 720.2840285536
• DOI: 10.1177/14780771211030051
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-0771

Abstract

The design and manufacturing of concrete elements need to be reconsidered in light of current trends in architectural geometry. Today, there is a movement toward greater customization and adaptability of concrete elements using "reconfigurable formworks" and "additive manufacturing." Our study approached the issue of fabricating non-standardized concrete elements from the perspective of a "reconfigurable fabrication platform." Specifically, we developed a method of fabricating geometrically diverse concrete joints by combining flexible pressure-enduring tubes with a rigid mechanism, resulting in an adaptive concrete-casting machine. This platform, which we named "Flexi-node, " can be used in conjunction with a relevant fabrication-aware digital design tool. Users can computationally design and fabricate a great variety of concrete joints using just one mold, with a minimum of material waste and with no distortion from hydrostatic pressure as would typically occur in a fully flexible formwork.