Interactive Equilibrium Modelling. A new approach to the computer‐ aided exploration of structures in architecture

.................................................................................................. 12 1 Introduction .................................................................................... 14 2 Design processes ............................................................................ 17 2.1 Design as search process ................................................................... 17 2.2 Formal approaches in architectural design ..................................... 19 2.2.1 Diagrams and patterns .............................................................. 20 2.2.2 Grammars and generate-test cycles ........................................ 21 2.2.3 Interactive modelling and computational exploration ......... 24 2.2.4 Summary ..................................................................................... 25 3 Structural design processes ............................................................ 27 3.1 Structural design as search process .................................................. 27 3.2 Formal approaches in structural design .......................................... 29 3.2.1 Modular systems and structural diagrams .............................. 30 3.2.2 Rules, generate-test cycles and directed search ..................... 34 3.2.3 Interactive modelling and form finding ................................. 39 3.2.4 Summary ..................................................................................... 44 3.3 Models and methods in form finding .............................................. 46 3.3.1 Physical methods ....................................................................... 46 3.3.2 Graphical methods .................................................................... 54 3.3.3 Computational methods ........................................................... 59 3.3.4 Summary ..................................................................................... 65 4 The problem of structural design modelling .................................. 67 5 Equilibrium solutions ..................................................................... 68 5.1 Lower-bound theorem of plasticity theory ..................................... 68 5.2 Kinematic models and stiffening schemes...................................... 69 6 Type-specific equilibrium modelling ............................................. 71 6.1 Trussed roofs ....................................................................................... 71 6.1.1 Form-finding method ............................................................... 72 6.1.2 Modelling approach ................................................................... 73