Flectuation – Adaptive Façade Shading with Pneumatically Actuated FRPs

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FLECTUATION – “ADAPTIVE FAÇADE SHADING FROM ELASTICALLY DEFORMABLE FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE COMPONENTS WITH INTEGRATED, PNEUMATIC ACTUATION AND A SURFACE FUNCTIONALIZED BY MEANS OF PHOTOVOLTAICS”

Conventional solar shading is a highly industrialized and cost-optimized industry. At the same time, it is difficult to implement fundamental changes. Within the project “Flectuation”, adaptive façade elements (shading units) made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) will be developed. The deformation of the elements is realized by embedded pneumatic chambers. The energy for actuation will be provided via integrated photovoltaic (PV) films. Due to the integrated PV, the control system regulates not only the position for optimal shading of the interior (shading efficiency), but also the orientation of the PV foils for maximum efficiency (energy harvesting).

Previous work of ITFT and itke shows that adaptive components made of FRP are technically possible. However, the research is not yet ready for the market: A detailed study to investigate influencing factors and design criteria to achieve the necessary fatigue strength of such elements is part of “Flectuation”. The work objective is not only the development of an exemplary adaptive FRP component, but also a material catalogue for the design of new adaptive components. The material, software and manufacturing concepts planned in the project will create an automated workflow for the production of adaptive FRP components, the application of which is also attractive outside the construction industry – for small series and the production of individual single components.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Götz T. Gresser
Institute for Textile and Fiber Technologies (ITFT), University of Stuttgart
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Knippers
Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE), University of Stuttgart

SENIOR RESEARCHERS

Dr.-Ing. Larissa Born (ITFT)
Dr.-Ing. Axel Körner (ITKE)

DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Matthias Ridder (ITFT)
Edith Anahi Gonzalez San Martin (ITKE)

PARTNERS

Jehle Technik GmbH
HELLA Sonnen- und Wetterschutztechnik GmbH
Formfinder Software GmbH

FUNDING

AiF Projekt GmbH / Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK)