The project is located in Mabalacat, a city 75km north of Manila. The project objective is to create a loop structure that functions as a gathering place for the community providing shelter from the tropical climate. The pavilion hosts the following activities: a multipurpose hall, a covered plaza, a food court, and a central garden.
These are the steps followed for the form finding of the gridshell. First, start with a simple loop geometry, apply a diamond grid and adjust the footprint according to the program requirements. Then generate the pavilion massing with kangaroo, optimize the structure with Karamba, and roof the structure.
MATERIAL
The original intent was to use Mass engineered timber (MET) for the structure, but structural engineered bamboo (SEB) )is more appropriate for this location. Bamboo is a local material that performs better in humid climates, but it is a relatively new product for structures, making it difficult to find references. A study concludes that engineered bamboo’s structural performance could be comparable to MET and timber.
OPTIMIZATION PROCESS
For the structural optimization of the pavilion, I started analyzing the diamond grid structure in Karamba using two different wind cases and the component cross-section optimization. I changed the grid pattern to triangular, and as shown in the values below, the structural performance improved significantly, and the structure mass decreased by 50%. However, the max utilization is still high.
I analyzed the structure as a shell to know where the structure would receive more stress. The most affected parts are the ones near the most significant openings. I reduced the opening length as much as the program allows, and the result is an improvement in the displacement, mass, and utilization, although in some parts, still high.
For the last step, I used the biomorpher solver to find the minimum displacement and mass by adjusting the grid density. The best result reduces the displacement and mass values, and the maximum utilization is below 70%.
Comparison of the results achieved during the optimization process.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
As expected, the highest axial forces and bending moments are around the openings. Also, there are higher compression values on the structural members around the courtyard. The results of LC0 are more significant due to the wind blowing on the side where the biggest structural body is. These critical areas will have to be properly stiffened
Similar situation for the maximum utilization and displacement analysis. The highest values are near the opening, and the maximum displacement increases depending on the wind direction.
