这是2012年冬季ICD,ITKE以及斯图加特大学学生连同机器人共同完成的一个研究教学
临时展馆，灵感来自北美龙虾骨骼，使用了约60公里长的碳纤维和玻璃纤维复合材料。
此外gooood曾在2012年报道过他们2011年的临时木展馆项目 ：
ICD/ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION 2011（点击蓝色链接看更多）
 
In November 2012 the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the
Institute of nullBuilding Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of
Stuttgart have completed a research pavilion that is entirely robotically fabricated
from carbon and glass fibre composites.

 
这个跨学科的展馆探讨了仿生设计与新兴机器人生产的相互关系，这个由新型复合材
料组成的结构体对节肢动物骨骼（美洲龙虾，角质层是柔软的表皮）进行了研究。在
计算机中从初始就对仿生结构的纤维材料向异性进行研究，以求新构造的可能性-----
这层复合材料板板厚度仅为4毫米，跨度却达8米。

其中混合环氧树脂和玻璃纤维占70%，碳纤维占30%。混合环氧树脂和玻璃纤维是面
板主要材料，碳纤维因为强度较高，在这里用作核心骨骼起到传递荷载和支撑的功
能。机器人协作将这些纤维缠绕固定。

更多信息请参看下方英文。
 

ICD/ITKE RESEARCH PAVILION 2012
Institute for Computational Design (ICD) - Prof. Achim Menges
Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) - Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Knippers
University of Stuttgart, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning

In November 2012 the Institute for Computational Design (ICD) and the Institute of
Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart have
completed a research pavilion that is entirely robotically fabricated from carbon and
glass fibre composites. This interdisciplinary project, conducted by architectural and
engineering researchers of both institutes together with students of the faculty and in
collaboration with biologists of the University of Tübingen, investigates the possible
interrelation between biomimetic design strategies and novel processes of robotic
production. The research focused on the material and morphological principles of
arthropods’ exoskeletons as a source of exploration for a new composite construction
paradigm in architecture.

At the core of the project is the development of an innovative robotic fabrication
process within the context of the building industry based on filament winding of carbon
and glass fibres and the related computational design tools and simulation methods. A
key aspect of the project was to transfer the fibrous morphology of the biological role
model to fibre-reinforced composite materials, the anisotropy of which was integrated
from the start into the computer-based design and simulation processes, thus leading
to new tectonic possibilities in architecture. The integration of the form generation
methods, the computational simulations and robotic manufacturing, specifically allowed
the development of a high performance structure: the pavilion requires only a shell
thickness of four millimetres of composite laminate while spanning eight metres.

 
BIOLOGICAL MODEL

Following a “bottom-up” approach, a wide range of different subtypes of invertebrates
were initially investigated in regards to the material anisotropy and functional
morphology of arthropods. The observed biological principles were analysed and
abstracted in order to be subsequently transferred into viable design principles for
architectural applications. The exoskeleton of the lobster (Homarus americanus) was
analysed in greater detail for its local material differentiation, which finally served as the
biological role model of the project.

The lobster’s exoskeleton (the cuticle) consists of a soft part, the endocuticle, and a
relatively hard layer, the exocuticle. The cuticle is a secretion product in which chitin
fibrils are embedded in a protein matrix. The specific differentiation of the position and
orientation of the fibres and related material properties respond to specific local
requirements. The chitin fibres are incorporated in the matrix by forming individual
unidirectional layers. In the areas where a non-directional load transfer is required, such
individual layers are laminated together in a spiral (helicoidal) arrangement. The
resulting isotropic fibre structure allows a uniform load distribution in every direction. On
the other hand, areas which are subject to directional stress distributions exhibit a
unidirectional layer structure, displaying an anisotropic fibre assembly which is
optimized for a directed load transfer. Due to this local material differentiation, the shell
creates a highly adapted and efficient structure. The abstracted morphological
principles of locally adapted fibre orientation constitute the basis for the computational
form generation, material design and manufacturing process of the pavilion.
 
TRANSFER OF BIOMIMETIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES

In collaboration with the biologists, the fibre orientation, fibre arrangement and
associated layer thickness and stiffness gradients in the exoskeleton of the lobster
were carefully investigated. The high efficiency and functional variation of the cuticle is
due to a specific combination of exoskeletal form, fibre orientation and matrix. These
principles were applied to the design of a robotically fabricated shell structure based on
a fibre composite system in which the resin-saturated glass and carbon fibres were
continuously laid by a robot, resulting in a compounded structure with custom fibre
orientation.

In existing fibre placement techniques, e.g. in the aero-space industry or advanced sail
production, the fibres are typically laid on a separately manufactured positive mold.
Since the construction of a complete positive formwork is fairly unsuitable for the
building industry, the project aimed to reduce the positive form to a minimum. As a
consequence, the fibres were laid on a temporary lightweight, linear steel frame with
defined anchor points between which the fibres were tensioned. From the straight
segments of the prestressed fibres, surfaces emerge that result in the characteristic
double curved shape of the pavilion. In this way the hyperbolic paraboloid surfaces
resulting from the first sequence of glass fibre winding serve as an integral mould for
the subsequent carbon and glass fibre layers with their specific structural purposes and
load bearing properties. In other words, the pavilion itself establishes the positive
formwork as part of the robotic fabrication sequence. Moreover, during the fabrication
process it was possible to place the fibres so that their orientation is optimally aligned
with the force flow in the skin of the pavilion. Fibre optic sensors, which continuously
monitor the stress and strain variations, were also integrated in the structure. The
project’s concurrent consideration of shell geometry, fibre arrangement and fabrication
process leads to a novel synthesis of form, material, structure and performance.

Through this high level of integration the fundamental properties of biological structures
were transferred:
- Heterogeneity: six different filament winding sequences control the variation of the
fibre layering and the fibre orientation of the individual layers at each point of the shell.
They are designed to minimize material consumption whilst maximizing the stiffness of
the structure resulting in significant material efficiency and a very lightweight structure.
- Hierarchy: the glass fibres are mainly used as a spatial partitioning element and
serve as the formwork for the following layers, whilst the stiffer carbon fibres contribute
primarily to the load transfer and the global stiffness of the system.
- Function integration: in addition to the structural carbon fibres for the load transfer
and the glass fibres for the spatial articulation, functional fibres for illumination and
structural monitoring can be integrated in the system.

 
COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN AND ROBOTIC PRODUCTION

A prerequisite for the design, development and realization of the project was a closed,
digital information chain linking the project’s model, finite element simulations, material
testing and robot control. Form finding, material and structural design were directly
integrated in the design process, whereby the complex interaction of form, material,
structure and fabrication technology could be used as an integral aspect of the
biomimetic design methodology. The direct coupling of geometry and finite element
simulations into computational models allowed the generation and comparative
analysis of numerous variations. In parallel, the mechanical properties of the fibre
composites determined by material testing were included in the process of form
generation and material optimization. The optimization of the fibre and layer
arrangement through a gradient-based method, allowed the development of a highly
efficient structure with minimal use of material.