(LEAN?) Structural Design for Future Change
In this day and age, standard structural engineering goes beyond looking at design elements against strength and stiffness. It focuses on the Climate Emergency, and has the ambition to be lean, not just as the amount of materials used, but also through the ability for elements to be adapted over time, dis-and reassembled.
Through this structural essentials course we will address how to design structures fit for the future.
The course consists of three parts, divided within three days of the workshop:
(1) We will look into how to design structural typologies which are linked to reducing Carbon emission, from extending existing buildings making families of design reusing the same elements, to pre-ampting how a structure would be extended over its life. We will sketch structural principles, build 2D analysis models and compare the impact of structural parameters. This includes understanding material choices linked to performance and applying the different structural loads acting on structures, understanding internal loads and the structural response, i.e how specific typologies transfer loads and impact of support conditions to the behaviour.
(2) We will test a series of structural beams linked to the typologies explored in (1). These beams all attempt to reflect an aspect of circular design. We will compare our physical test to a structural analysis, using both line elements and 2d elements, showcasing how a structural analysis stays a simplification of reality. We will reveal and review other impacts/ discrepancies due to fabrication or construction affecting the structural performance. We will assess the failure mechanism and compare the physical performance to the default capacity and embed the results back into the structural analysis.
As a cohort we will compare the different performances, structural behaviours and opportunities.
(3) We will also assess the carbon impact of the variations we are structurally testing, aiming to focus not only on embodied carbon as the material choice, but also through defining impacts of reuse and extended life span design.
At course completion the student will:
STRUCTURAL DESIGN ESSENTIALS WORKSHOP Manja van de Worp Matteo Attanasio Ritu Vora Nina Avdalyan Yetkin Demir Kruti Ajaykumar Ghariwala Ragini Chakrawarti Google HQ , London We are exploring alternative structural systems for the Google HQ building in London. As part of this process, a beam from the proposed system is designed to meet performance standards. … Read more
Karamba Analysis Physical Testing Point of Failure at 130 kg, shear failure at the dowels Embodied Carbon analysis
Case Study People’s Pavilion – Overtraders Iterations Option 1 Option 2 Displacement Analysis Utilization Analysis Roof Load Analysis Scavenged Timber BEAM TEST DESIGN – BUILDING 3D-Exploration Fabrication Beam Test Load – Deflection Analysis Failure + Improvements Beam Test v/s Karamba Analysis Karamba Analysis Summary Grasshopper Script Embodied Carbon Detail
Overview of the three variations Diagrams Option selected Beam design options Beam design selected Karamba Assembly diagrams Assembly + Physical model Failure moment Collapse of the installation Karamba analysis Improvement option Embodied CO2 Personal conclusions
INTRODUCTION As part of the Structural Design Essentials Workshop, our team explored alternative beam designs for Alejandro Aravena’s Quinta Monroy project. Using reclaimed timber, we designed and analyzed a castellated beam to support vertical growth. Both digital simulations with Karamba3D and physical tests were conducted to evaluate its structural performance and sustainability. SKETCHES Quinta Monroy … Read more
FABRICATION PROCESS BEAM TEST -Beam test with interlocking shear panels positions at splice in bottom and top flanges. -Failure is located in the shear panel where the bottom splice is located. -The physical beam test differs with the Karamba analysis due to the screws location and the wood quality. The karamba analysis does not have … Read more
Stability Split project explores sustainable construction using scavenged materials and recycled wood for a structural beam. In the first phase, a case study of the Google headquarters in London was analyzed using Karamba software to explore structural efficiency and redesign its system. Two design options—arched and stacked—were proposed as alternatives to improve structural performance and … Read more
For the creation of our recycled beam we chose to repurpose parts of a wooden pallet that we found on the street, transforming discarded material into a functional structural element. This approach not only demonstrates the potential of upcycling in construction but also highlights sustainability by reducing waste and giving new life to materials that … Read more
CASE STUDY – GOOGLE HQ Exploration from the Case Studies.` Diagram Analysis Set up – Load & Mass Distribution Beam Test Design Investigation Truss with blocks (Vierendeel) using reclaimed hardwood exploring amount of overlap, number of blocks and impact of gaps between blocks. Beam Test Design Reclaimed Timber Block Truss Beam Fabrication Testing Videos The … Read more
Structural Design Essentials Workshop Introduction The primary objective of the workshop was to explore innovative ideas in structural engineering by experimenting with materials and their compositions to create components. Specifically, the aim was to engineer a structural beam designed for integration into the case study structure, the Aravena Building, and to evaluate its structural strength … Read more
