Core Structure_Micro Gothic 2

Core Structure

Core Structure is the developed version of “Tree-Based-Micro House” which has been designed at Micro Gothic 1.

During Micro Gothic 2 it has been tried to focus on Structural details and construction system to make the design more fabricatable. Specially in a way to be fabricated using robot arms

Micro Gothic II SoSe 2020

Mahyar Jalali Monty Lipphardt Jiuyu Lai Zhijun Zhang

Department of Experimental and Digital Design and Construction

Gothic Principles: Fractal geometry, tree‫׳‬s self-similarity and its efficiencies Fractal geometry, a branch of mathematics developed in the 1970s studies abstract configurations characterized by self-similarity patterns and recursive growth

Main Concept and case studies Tree-inspired dendriforms and fractal-like branching structures in architecture: A brief historical overview The shapes of trees are complex and fractal-like, and they have a set of physical, mechanical and biological functions. The relation between them always draws attention of human beings throughout history and, focusing on the relation between shape and structural strength, architects have designed a number of treelike structures, referred as dendriforms. The replication and adoption of the treelike patterns for constructing architectural structures have been varied in different time periods based on the existing and advanced knowledge and available technologies. This paper, by briefly discussing the biological functions and the mechanical properties of trees with regard to their shapes, overviews and investigates the chronological evolution and advancements of dendriform and arboreal structures in architecture referring to some important historical as well as contemporary examples.

Fan vault in the Chapel of King‫׳‬s College, Cambridge

Gothic ribbed vault

Main Concept and Development process

After a case study on Tree structures in Gothic Architecture, we started to develop our concept.

The process starts with the outline of a tree which would be taken and would be developed.

Mainly we have 3 cores in the first level. Which one of the are defined as a stair box with the same system. On the second floor we have one central core which just hold the load of the roof and transport it to bottom and finally to the ground Main elements 1. Formable Surfaces 2. Attractor points In the mathematical field of dynamical systems, an attractor is a set of numerical values toward which a system tends to evolve, for a wide variety of starting conditions of the system. System values that get close enough to the attractor values remain close even if slightly disturbed.

In finite-dimensional systems, the evolving variable may be represented algebraically as an n-dimensional vector. The attractor is a region in n-dimensional space.

In physical systems, the n dimensions may be, for example, two or three positional coordinates for each of one or more physical entities; in economic systems, they may be separate variables such as the inflation rate and the unemployment rate.

Panelization and Vertical Connections After the main surfaces got their forms, to achieve the purpose the should be panelized into some squares with same size, so the could be defined as plates.

These panels are connected together with some vertical elements which are acting like BIMs to hold the whole structure. The size of these panels are different and the number of the are randomly under control. The tool-path is able to generate them by itself. It depends of how much opening we would like to have in the house. If the number of vertical elements are reduced, so we have more openning and if they are totally filled there would be no openings.

The free spaces that remain in Z direction could be filled with a combination of glass and sticks. It would be shown later.

Computational Design Approach At first we created a rectangle whose length and width are equally divided into 20 times. So that we got 400 small surfaces as our panels, and this rectangle is treated as our basic floor. Then we set three attraction points defined by sliders in the direction of X and Y. An attraction point is set with a radiation range manually. Then the distance between the center point of each panel and the attraction point is measured and compared with the radiation radius of the attraction point.

The points will only be selected if the distance from the center point of the panel to the attraction point satisfies both the outer radius of the ring and the inner radius.It must be greater than the small radius and at the same time less than the big radius.

Computational Design Approach At first, what we have got a geometric shape with full symmetry up, down, left and right. Then we change the position of the attraction point so that the shape becomes no longer homogeneous. The attraction ring can be moved up and down on this red axis to form different panel height.

The distance from the center point of each panel to the attraction point has been measured. The farthest and the closest distance will be remapped as the vertical distance of the panels to the attraction point. The vertical distance from the farthest panel to the attraction point is the height of the attraction point, and the distance from the closest point to the attraction point is 0. We changed the relationship of the panel height to get a softer and more Gothic structure.

Modules We develpoed totally 8 different typs of modules and each module has different functions. The first module is half of our core and it is our entrance. The second module is the biggest one and it forms also a inner space as our courtyard. The third one is only one corner of our core and it is a colum to hold the first floor. The fourth one is also one corner of our core but it is two floors height. The fifth and the sixth modules are our walls. The last two modules are complete cores and one of them is a stair another one is a column.

the column

the corner

the core

the stair

the wall

the entrance

the corner (variation)

Modules out of Modules A befinit of developing modules is the possiblity to deifne modules, which form combined togehter, another module. So the result out of this is a structure which can be endless and used for diferent utilizations.

For the following example, we used the corner module. These module was mirrored and combined togehter, so it forms a complete house or a whole building complex.

these house ist formed out of 16 corner modules and it gives an intressting structure. For the further development these 16 modules was used as one new module and the core module was used for the vertical connection

there are endless posibilities of adding these modules. It can be a mega structure or just ohne tiny house. These are some examples of what is possible. It is a structure study by us of form findng, which gives us the possibility to think further.

Stairs The first module is a stair with dimension 2.8m x 4.4m x 4.5m (Length x Width x Height ). After we generate the height of each panels, some of the panel heights are adjusted to meet the requirements of the steps (each step height is 150mm, the same as normal srairs) so that people are enable to climb up.

Courtyard

Module Assembly First of all we install the bottom plate of each module. Each bottom plate has reserved holes for the module to be inserted. And the edge has different tenons, making the installation more convenient and tighter. Finally reinforce with screws.

Then insert each module into the base plate in order and install the facade. The second layer proceeds in the same order.

Structural details To get into the details of structural details, we decided to work on one of the cores which we had between our slabs. The core which includes the stair box. Since this core was the most complex one.

Since one of the critics on the design was the lack of using wood sticks. So as we discussed in our group, we decided to use them as a structural element and design an inner construction which is holding the whole core.

The principle dimensions which we defined for a core are shown on the diagram on the next page. It has a hight for 4 meters which is a logical value for one floor.

The core which includes the stair box is a bit wider to provide a comfortable space so that a human can go through. ( The green panels are representing the stairs).

Generally we have 2 kinds of panels. Horizontal panels which has a dimension of 40*40cm with a thickness of 20mm And the vertical panels which all have a same width of 36cm and a variable hight. The change that we made on our vertical panels was to reduce the width from both sides. So they are not going to go inside each other by horizontal ones The height has a limitation. It cannot be less than 8cm (4 x Material Thickness) so that they are all able to be fabricated. In this way we avoid the heights like 1cm which are not possible to be fabricated.

Wooden-Sticks The way that we used sticks as a structure was based in Rings-System and vertical sticks which connect these rings together. So that we will have a stable construction inside the core. The Sticks are all screwed together and later they are going to be screwed to the panels.

Below is the screwing system of the inner structure and on the other side there is an explosion diagram, which starts from the rings which are positioned in different heights and then connect to the vertical sticks and finally to th panels.

Modules To fabricate the panels in way which could be done using the robot, we splitted them into some module. These modules are out of either 3 or 4 parts which should be fabricated separately and the mounted on the structure. The advantage of this system is that it gives us a more stable system since the modules out of panels are one time screwed together and after that they are screwed to the construction. It also makes the screwing system much more easier.

The plan is: The modules will be fabricated on one station with a robot.

The Structure will be fabricated on another station.

After all the structure and modules meet each other on the final station. Where the whole core will be built.

In the below pic it has been tried to show the modulation and on the other side the system of fabrication and screwing the panels together.

To make it easier we designed a template which helps to place the panels on the right position and have an exact joint.

Physical Model As a physical model we choosed a scale of 1:4. So that we could show all the structural details. The material is MDF wood plate with 10mm thickness. The parts are cut using a table saw. The sticks are also cut out of this material with 20mm with and 10mm thickness.

The steps of fabrication was simulated exactly same as the real on with the robot.

In this prototype we built half of a core, the details and rules are all the same.

The modules are assembled with glue because of the thickness which have been scaled. But in real scale they are also going to be screwed together.

Rings Vertical sticks Modules Final montage The full Video of the building process: https://vimeo.com/442346001

Animation For the Animation we have used the Robotic Arm to simulate the building Process of the Structure and the Module.

First of all, we use a truss-type robotic arm, which is suitable for building a bulky structure like the column in our design. The gripper of the robotic arm uses a vacuum suction cup, which can grasp the small modules we built very well.

For Module part the robotic arm gripper will splice the placed materials together, fix the materials on the support, and then anchor them together with bolts to fix them. This support will have a suction cup device, so that the material placed on it can be stabilized in its place to facilitate later anchoring. For the module assembly, an internal bracket is used, and each small module is placed on the bracket by the gripper of the robotic arm, and anchored in the same way.

Due to the height limitation of the truss, we can only use the robotic arm to make half of the columns, and then join the two parts. The whole assembly process is a process from plate to small module and then to the whole structure.

Handmodel of the Module Hier is a Handmodel of the support, to make sure that the plate is stable wenn building the Module. And the following images simulate the building process.

The Handmodel of the Support Building process of the Module

From Plate To Module To Structure

Robotic Arm Quelle: https://bf222.com

1 Put the first plate on on side of the support

2 Put the second plate on the other side of the support

3 Put the third plate on the top

4 Use the screw to connect the three parts

Assembly process of the Module

Animation Process

1 The Robot arm pick up the plate

2 The Robot arm transfer the plate

3 The Robot arm assemble the plate on the support

Assemble the Column Wenn the Module are finished, the Robotic arm could build half of the column.

The module would be placed in grid, be picked up and puted on the structure.

At the end the mudules would be screwed together.

3 The Robot arm assemble the module on the structure

1 The Robot arm pick up the module

2 The Robot arm transfer the module

The sequence of splicing modules needs to be set manually in the program, and the modules can be spliced ​​smoothly from bottom to top.

If the upper module is spliced ​​first, the robot arm will not be able to insert the middle module into the designated position, which is prone to collision.

Process 1 first layer almost finished

Thanks for your attention Process 2 begin to build the second layer

Core Structure SoSe 2020

Process 2 build the half of the second layer