Hybrid FRP-Timber Building System and Material System Development

Research Project 11-2 (RP 11-2)

HYBRID FRP-TIMBER BUILDING SYSTEM AND MATERIAL SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FOR LONG-SPAN STRUCTURES AND EXISTING BUILDING STOCK EXTENSIONS 

Conceived as an extension of Research Project RP 11-1, this project will address the fundamental research challenges encountered in the development of novel coreless filament wound fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) building systems. Three main challenges have been identified and formalised: the weakness of such systems in creating continuous surfaces and thus properly enclosing a space, the relatively long production time of the construction elements and, ultimately, the heavy environmental footprint of the predominantly used materials.

One of the main consequences of the filigree or lattice-like configuration of coreless filament wound fibre elements is their inherent inability to create continuous surfaces and thus define hermetic architectural spaces. This project will focus on solutions that address this shortcoming by combining the lattice-like filaments with two-dimensional timber plates using mechanical fasteners. This project will explore the design space for such FRP-timber hybrid components, taking into account their architectural function, while at the same time enhancing their structural capabilities, with the timber plates redistributing live loads and the fibres providing structural depth to the system.

From a fabrication point of view, the timber plates can potentially become an integral part of the winding frame, reducing the complexity of the overall fabrication setup. This reduction in complexity will be the first step towards the goal of reducing the overall production time. This will also be achieved by using two robots to wind an element simultaneously. A central aspect of this research project will then be the exploration of the design space for FRP-timber hybrid elements enabled by the augmentation of the fabrication platform.

To address the issue of the high environmental footprint of the materials used to date for coreless filament wound (CFW) elements, this project will investigate alternative combinations of fibres (natural, renewable or semi-synthetic) and resin systems, building on the preliminary studies carried out in Research Project RP 11-1. The aim of this project will be to extend the range of materials suitable for CFW and to define sensible fibre-resin material combinations for specific building elements geometries and configurations.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Knippers
Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE), University of Stuttgart
Prof. Achim Menges
Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), University of Stuttgart

TEAM

Dr.-Ing. Marta Gil Pérez (ITKE)
Dr.-Ing. Christoph Zechmeister (ICD)
Tzu-Ying Chen (ITKE)
Rebeca Duque (ICD)

 

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  1. 2024

    1. Kannenberg, F., Zechmeister, C., Gil Pérez, M., Guo, Y., Yang, X., Forster, D., Hügle, S., Mindermann, P., Abdelaal, M., Balangé, L., Schwieger, V., Weiskopf, D., Gresser, G. T., Middendorf, P., Bischoff, M., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2024). Toward reciprocal feedback between computational design, engineering, and fabrication to co-design coreless filament-wound structures. Journal of Computational Design and Engineering, 11(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcde/qwae048
  2. 2023

    1. Gil Pérez, M. (2023). Integrative structural design of non-standard building systems: coreless filament-wound structures as a case study (Vol. 49) [Dissertation, Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen, Universität Stuttgart]. https://doi.org/10.18419/opus-12879
    2. Gil Pérez, M., & Knippers, J. (2023). Integrative Structural Design of Non-Standard Building Systems: Bridging the Gap between Research and Industry. Technology  Architecture + Design, 7:2, 244–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/24751448.2023.2246801
    3. Gil Pérez, M., Mindermann, P., Zechmeister, C., Forster, D., Guo, Y., Hügle, S., Kannenberg, F., Balangé, L., Schwieger, V., Middendorf, P., Bischoff, M., Menges, A., Gresser, G. T., & Knippers, J. (2023). Data processing, analysis, and evaluation methods for co-design of coreless filament-wound building systems. Journal of Computational Design and Engineering, 10(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcde/qwad064
    4. Schlopschnat, C., Pérez, M. G., Zechmeister, C., Estrada, R. D., Kannenberg, F., Rinderspacher, K., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2023). Co-Design of Fibrous Walls for Multi-Story Buildings. In K. Dörfler, J. Knippers, A. Menges, S. Parascho, H. Pottmann, & T. Wortmann (Eds.), Advances in Architectural Geometry 2023 (pp. 235--248). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111162683-018
    5. Zechmeister, C., Gil Pérez, M., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2023). Concurrent, computational design and modelling of structural, coreless-wound building components. Automation in Construction, 151, 104889. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2023.104889
    6. Zechmeister, C., Gil Pérez, M., Dambrosio, N., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2023). Extension of Computational Co-Design Methods for Modular, Prefabricated Composite Building Components Using Bio-Based Material Systems. Sustainability, 15(16), Article 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612189
  3. 2022

    1. Balangé, L., Harmening, C., Duque Estrada, R., Menges, A., Neuner, H., & Schwieger, V. (2022). Monitoring the production process of lightweight fibrous structures using terrestrial laser scanning. 5th Joint International Symposium on Deformation Monitoring, Valencia, Spain. https://doi.org/10.4995/JISDM2022.2022.13830
    2. Gil Pérez, M., Zechmeister, C., Kannenberg, F., Mindermann, P., Balangé, L., Guo, Y., Hügle, S., Gienger, A., Forster, D., Bischoff, M., Tarín, C., Middendorf, P., Schwieger, V., Gresser, G. T., Menges, A., & Knippers, J. (2022). Computational co-design framework for coreless wound fibre-polymer composite structures. Journal of Computational Design and Engineering, 9(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcde/qwab081
    3. Gil Pérez, M., Früh, N., La Magna, R., & Knippers, J. (2022). Integrative structural design of a timber-fibre hybrid building system fabricated through coreless filament winding: Maison Fibre. Journal of Building Engineering, 49, 104114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104114
    4. Gil Pérez, M., Guo, Y., & Knippers, J. (2022). Integrative material and structural design methods for natural fibres filament-wound composite structures: The LivMatS pavilion. Materials & Design, 217, 110624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110624
    5. Gil Pérez, M., Zechmeister, C., Menges, A., & Knippers, J. (2022). Coreless filament-wound structures: toward performative long-span and sustainable building systems. In S. Xue, J. Wu, & G. Sun (Eds.), Proceedings of IASS Annual Symposia 2022: Innovation, Sustainability and Legacy (Vol. 2022, pp. 3366–3376). International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS).
    6. Guo, Y., Gil Pérez, M., Serhat, G., & Knippers, J. (2022). A design methodology for fiber layup optimization of filament wound structural components. Structures, 38, 1125--1136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2022.02.048
    7. Guo, Y., Serhat, G., Gil Pérez, M., & Knippers, J. (2022). Maximizing buckling load of elliptical composite cylinders using lamination parameters. Engineering Structures, 262, 114342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.114342
    8. Mindermann, P., Gil Pérez, M., Kamimura, N., Knippers, J., & Gresser, G. T. (2022). Implementation of fiber-optical sensors into coreless filament-wound composite structures. Composite Structures, 290, 115558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.115558
    9. Mindermann, P., Pérez, M. G., Knippers, J., & Gresser, G. T. (2022). Investigation of the Fabrication Suitability, Structural Performance, and Sustainability of Natural Fibers in Coreless Filament Winding. Materials, 15(9), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15093260
  4. 2021

    1. Bodea, S., Mindermann, P., Gresser, G. T., & Menges, A. (2021). Additive Manufacturing of Large Coreless Filament Wound Composite Elements for Building Construction. 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing. https://doi.org/10.1089/3dp.2020.0346
    2. Dambrosio, N., Zechmeister, N., Duque Estrada, R., Kannenberg, F., Gil Pérez, M., Schlopschnat, C., Rinderspacher, K., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2021). Design and development of an FRP-Timber hybrid building system for multi-story applications in architecture: Maison Fibre. In B. Farahi, B. Bogosian, J. Scott, J. L. García del Castillo y López, K. Dörfler, J. A. Grant, S. Parascho, & V. A. A. Noel (Eds.), Realignments: Toward Critical Computation - ACADIA 2021.
    3. Gil Pérez, M., Rongen, B., Koslowski, V., & Knippers, J. (2021). Structural design assisted by testing for modular coreless filament-wound composites: The BUGA Fibre Pavilion. Construction and Building Materials, 301, 124303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124303
    4. Mindermann, P., Bodea, S., Menges, A., & Gresser, G. T. (2021). Development of an Impregnation End-Effector with Fiber Tension Monitoring for Robotic Coreless Filament Winding. Processes, 9(5), 806. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9050806
    5. Mindermann, P., Rongen, B., Gubetini, D., Knippers, J., & Gresser, G. T. (2021). Material Monitoring of a Composite Dome Pavilion Made by Robotic Coreless Filament Winding. Materials, 14(19), Article 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14195509
  5. 2020

    1. Bodea, S., Dambrosio, N., Zechmeister, C., Gil-Perez, M., Koslowski, V., Rongen, B., Doerstelmann, M., Kyjanek, O., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2020). BUGA Fibre Pavilion: Towards Robotically-Fabricated Composite Building Structures. Fabricate 2020: Making Resilient Architecture, 234--243.
    2. Gil Pérez, M., Rongen, B., Koslowski, V., & Knippers, J. (2020). Structural design, optimization and detailing of the BUGA fibre pavilion. International Journal of Space Structures, 0(0), Article 0. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956059920961778
    3. Zechmeister, C., Bodea, S., Dambrosio, N., & Menges, A. (2020). Design for Long-Span Core-Less Wound, Structural Composite Building Elements. In C. Gengnagel, O. Baverel, & J. Burry (Eds.), Proceedings of the Design Modelling Symposium, Berlin 2019 (pp. 401--415). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29829-6_32
  6. 2019

    1. Dambrosio, N., Zechmeister, C., Bodea, S., Koslowski, V., Gil Pérez, M., Rongen, B., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2019). Buga Fibre Pavilion: Towards an architectural application of novel  fiber composite building systems. In K. Bieg, D. Briscoe, & C. Odom (Eds.), Acadia 2019: Ubiquity and Autonomy, proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, Texas (pp. 140--149). Acadia Publishing Company.
    2. Gil Pérez, M., Dambrosio, N., Rongen, B., Menges, A., & Knippers, J. (2019). Structural optimization of coreless filament wound components connection system through orientation of anchor points in the winding frames. In C. Lazaro, K.-U. Bletzinger, & E. Onate (Eds.), Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2019 – Structural Membranes 2019 Form and Force (Vol. 2019, pp. 1381--1388). International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS).

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

  1. 2021

    1. Iori, T. (2021). La Maison Fibre o del robot Aracne che fila la casa del futuro. Rassegna di Architettura e Urbanistica, 164, Article 164.
    2. Speight, V. (2021). La fibre robotique. Hors Site Magazine.

DATA SETS

  1. 2024

    1. Gil Pérez, M., Zechmeister, C., Dambrosio, N., Rongen, B., Menges, A., & Knippers, J. (2024). Material Testing Data for Coreless Filament Winding Using Small-Scale, Star-Type Specimens. DaRUS. https://doi.org/10.18419/darus-4358
    2. Zechmeister, C., Dambrosio, N., Duque Estrada, R., Kannenberg, F., Schlopschnat, C., Bodea, S., Gil Pérez, M., Rongen, B., Knippers, J., & Menges, A. (2024). Component Data Protocols for the Fabrication of Coreless-Wound Structural Building Components in the BUGA Fibre Pavilion and Maison Fibre. DaRUS. https://doi.org/10.18419/darus-4350
  2. 2023

    1. Gil Pérez, M., Mindermann, P., Zechmeister, C., Forster, D., Guo, Y., Hügle, S., Kannenberg, F., Balangé, L., Schwieger, V., Middendorf, P., Bischoff, M., Menges, A., Gresser, G. T., & Knippers, J. (2023). Post-processed and normalized data sets for the data processing, analysis, and evaluation methods for co-design of coreless filament-wound structures. DaRUS. https://doi.org/10.18419/darus-3449
    2. Gil Pérez, M., Zechmeister, C., Kannenberg, F., Mindermann, P., Balangé, L., Guo, Y., Hügle, S., Gienger, A., Forster, D., Bischoff, M., Tarín, C., Middendorf, P., Schwieger, V., Gresser, G. T., Menges, A., & Knippers, J. (2023). Object model data sets of the case study specimens for the computational co-design framework for coreless wound fibre-polymer composite structures. DaRUS. https://doi.org/10.18419/darus-3375
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