{ "types" : { "Bookmark" : { "pluralLabel" : "Bookmarks" }, "Publication" : { "pluralLabel" : "Publications" }, "GoldStandardPublication" : { "pluralLabel" : "GoldStandardPublications" }, "GoldStandardBookmark" : { "pluralLabel" : "GoldStandardBookmarks" }, "Tag" : { "pluralLabel" : "Tags" }, "User" : { "pluralLabel" : "Users" }, "Group" : { "pluralLabel" : "Groups" }, "Sphere" : { "pluralLabel" : "Spheres" } }, "properties" : { "count" : { "valueType" : "number" }, "date" : { "valueType" : "date" }, "changeDate" : { "valueType" : "date" }, "url" : { "valueType" : "url" }, "id" : { "valueType" : "url" }, "tags" : { "valueType" : "item" }, "user" : { "valueType" : "item" } }, "items" : [ { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/20ef15dba4aab4c6ab2a46269a05f990f/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2025","bechert","develpment","engineering","itke","segmented","shell","structural","system","timber" ], "intraHash" : "0ef15dba4aab4c6ab2a46269a05f990f", "interHash" : "9da2d51483d44283efd76fa966ca6884", "label" : "Structural Development of Semented Timber Shell Systems", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2026-01-13 16:31:40", "changeDate" : "2026-01-13 16:32:04", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "phdthesis", "series": "Forschungsberichte aus dem Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen, Universität Stuttgart","publisher":"Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen, Universität Stuttgart","address":"Stuttgart", "year": "2025", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"} ], "volume": "51","pages": "349","abstract": "In response to the growing global challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and urbanisation, there is an increasing demand for sustainable and material-efficient building systems. Segmented timber shell systems offer a promising solution by combining modularity,structural lightness, and the efficient use of renewable materials\r\nwith advanced digital design and fabrication technologies.\r\nThis dissertation develops an integrative structural design methodology to advance segmented timber shells as viable solutions for large-span architecture.\r\nChapter one introduces the research motivation and context,establishing the relevance of segmented timber shells as a future-oriented building system. Chapter two reviews the state of the art, tracing the evolution of shell structures and highlighting the potential of modular, lightweight timber construction within\r\nsustainable architecture. Segmented timber shells synergise these fields as a contemporary alternative in the context of an evolving built environment.\r\nChapter three formulates three Research Objectives (ROs) addressing key challenges in the design, engineering, and construction of segmented timber shells. These objectives form the basis for the Research Methods (RM1\u2013RM3) outlined in chapter four,which translate them into fundamental developments and innovations\r\nfor integrative structural design of segmented timber shell systems.\r\nThe core contributions are documented in peer-reviewed publications, each supported by full-scale demonstrators: the ITECH Research Demonstrator 2015\u201316, the Urbach Tower, the BUGA Wood Pavilion, and the livMatS Biomimetic Shell. Chapter five summarises these publications and their contributions to the\r\noverarching research framework.Chapter six discusses the research results (RR1\u2013RR3), demonstrating the structural viability, life cycle performance, and industrial scalability of segmented timber shells. The work shows how interdisciplinary co-design, performance-driven structural assessment, nd automated prefabrication strategies enable the realisation of modular, lightweight timber shell structures.\r\nFinally, chapter seven concludes with a critical reflection on the contributions and limitations of the research and outlines the future potential of segmented timber shells in large-scale architectural applications, bridging the gap between experimental\r\nresearch and construction practice.", "isbn" : "978-3-922302-51-3", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "bechert2025structural" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/20ef15dba4aab4c6ab2a46269a05f990f/itke", "tags" : [ "segmented","develpment","engineering","shell","system","structural","itke","2025","timber","bechert" ], "intraHash" : "0ef15dba4aab4c6ab2a46269a05f990f", "interHash" : "9da2d51483d44283efd76fa966ca6884", "label" : "Structural Development of Semented Timber Shell Systems", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2026-01-13 16:31:40", "changeDate" : "2026-01-13 16:32:04", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "phdthesis", "series": "Forschungsberichte aus dem Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen, Universität Stuttgart","publisher":"Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen, Universität Stuttgart","address":"Stuttgart", "year": "2025", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"} ], "volume": "51","pages": "349","abstract": "In response to the growing global challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and urbanisation, there is an increasing demand for sustainable and material-efficient building systems. Segmented timber shell systems offer a promising solution by combining modularity,structural lightness, and the efficient use of renewable materials\r\nwith advanced digital design and fabrication technologies.\r\nThis dissertation develops an integrative structural design methodology to advance segmented timber shells as viable solutions for large-span architecture.\r\nChapter one introduces the research motivation and context,establishing the relevance of segmented timber shells as a future-oriented building system. Chapter two reviews the state of the art, tracing the evolution of shell structures and highlighting the potential of modular, lightweight timber construction within\r\nsustainable architecture. Segmented timber shells synergise these fields as a contemporary alternative in the context of an evolving built environment.\r\nChapter three formulates three Research Objectives (ROs) addressing key challenges in the design, engineering, and construction of segmented timber shells. These objectives form the basis for the Research Methods (RM1\u2013RM3) outlined in chapter four,which translate them into fundamental developments and innovations\r\nfor integrative structural design of segmented timber shell systems.\r\nThe core contributions are documented in peer-reviewed publications, each supported by full-scale demonstrators: the ITECH Research Demonstrator 2015\u201316, the Urbach Tower, the BUGA Wood Pavilion, and the livMatS Biomimetic Shell. Chapter five summarises these publications and their contributions to the\r\noverarching research framework.Chapter six discusses the research results (RR1\u2013RR3), demonstrating the structural viability, life cycle performance, and industrial scalability of segmented timber shells. The work shows how interdisciplinary co-design, performance-driven structural assessment, nd automated prefabrication strategies enable the realisation of modular, lightweight timber shell structures.\r\nFinally, chapter seven concludes with a critical reflection on the contributions and limitations of the research and outlines the future potential of segmented timber shells in large-scale architectural applications, bridging the gap between experimental\r\nresearch and construction practice.", "isbn" : "978-3-922302-51-3", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "bechert2025structural" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/267e8404fbc10f975ea15471aa7afa70e/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2019","BUGA","Bundesgartenschau","Heilbronn","Lightweight","aldinger","alvarez","bechert","engineering","groenevolt","itke","knippers","krieg","menges","segmented","shell","sonntag","timber","wagner" ], "intraHash" : "67e8404fbc10f975ea15471aa7afa70e", "interHash" : "f286722941aaf120f329a8b37a694087", "label" : "Lightweight segmented timber shell for the Bundesgartenschau 2019 in Heilbronn", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2025-06-11 13:17:47", "changeDate" : "2025-06-11 13:17:47", "count" : 3, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Form and Force: Proceedings of the International Association for Spactial Structures Annual Symposia 2019 Barcelona", "year": "2019", "url": "", "author": [ "Daniel Sonntag","Lotte Aldinger","Simon Bechert","Martin Alvarez","Abel Groenewolt","Oliver-David Krieg","Hans Jakob Wagner","Jan Knippers","Achim Menges" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Daniel", "last" : "Sonntag"}, {"first" : "Lotte", "last" : "Aldinger"}, {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Martin", "last" : "Alvarez"}, {"first" : "Abel", "last" : "Groenewolt"}, {"first" : "Oliver-David", "last" : "Krieg"}, {"first" : "Hans Jakob", "last" : "Wagner"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"} ], "number": "October","pages": "1--8","abstract": "Segmented timber shells offer the possibility of constructing long span, double curved shell structures efficiently and economically. This was demonstrated with the Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall 2014 in Schwäbisch Gmünd [1], a prefabricated segmented timber shell made of planar beech plywood plates. However, the application of this construction method for larger spans and more general shell geometries requires further technical development of the construction system, of its associated fabrication methods, and of the methods for form finding and optimisation. This paper presents the development and construction of the wood pavilion for the Bundesgartenschau (Federal garden exhibition, BUGA) 2019 in Heilbronn, which translates these technical developments into practice. Solid timber panels were replaced by a recently developed multi-layer cassette system. The 376 geometrically unique elements of the multi-layer segmented shell were produced of spruce laminated veneer lumber plates, which were assembled, glued, and milled in a fully automated process by two collaborative industrial robots. The shell segments are connected using a combination of the previously established CNC-milled finger-joints [2] as well as regularly spaced steel bolts. Custom design and analysis tools were developed, in order to manage varying material thicknesses, spacing of fasteners and geometric details of the connections between adjacent segments.", "venue" : "Barcelona", "eventdate" : "7.-10.10.2019", "eventtitle" : "IASS Annual Symposium 2019 \u2013 Structural Membranes 2019", "file" : ":C\\:/Users/ac128044/Google Drive/ICD_Wagner/01_Publikationen/PUBLICATION_COLLECTION/2019_IASS.pdf:pdf", "bibtexKey": "Sonntag2019" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/267e8404fbc10f975ea15471aa7afa70e/itke", "tags" : [ "groenevolt","alvarez","sonntag","wagner","Lightweight","aldinger","segmented","Bundesgartenschau","knippers","engineering","shell","2019","BUGA","Heilbronn","itke","krieg","timber","menges","bechert" ], "intraHash" : "67e8404fbc10f975ea15471aa7afa70e", "interHash" : "f286722941aaf120f329a8b37a694087", "label" : "Lightweight segmented timber shell for the Bundesgartenschau 2019 in Heilbronn", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2025-06-11 13:17:47", "changeDate" : "2025-06-11 13:17:47", "count" : 3, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Form and Force: Proceedings of the International Association for Spactial Structures Annual Symposia 2019 Barcelona", "year": "2019", "url": "", "author": [ "Daniel Sonntag","Lotte Aldinger","Simon Bechert","Martin Alvarez","Abel Groenewolt","Oliver-David Krieg","Hans Jakob Wagner","Jan Knippers","Achim Menges" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Daniel", "last" : "Sonntag"}, {"first" : "Lotte", "last" : "Aldinger"}, {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Martin", "last" : "Alvarez"}, {"first" : "Abel", "last" : "Groenewolt"}, {"first" : "Oliver-David", "last" : "Krieg"}, {"first" : "Hans Jakob", "last" : "Wagner"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"} ], "number": "October","pages": "1--8","abstract": "Segmented timber shells offer the possibility of constructing long span, double curved shell structures efficiently and economically. This was demonstrated with the Landesgartenschau Exhibition Hall 2014 in Schwäbisch Gmünd [1], a prefabricated segmented timber shell made of planar beech plywood plates. However, the application of this construction method for larger spans and more general shell geometries requires further technical development of the construction system, of its associated fabrication methods, and of the methods for form finding and optimisation. This paper presents the development and construction of the wood pavilion for the Bundesgartenschau (Federal garden exhibition, BUGA) 2019 in Heilbronn, which translates these technical developments into practice. Solid timber panels were replaced by a recently developed multi-layer cassette system. The 376 geometrically unique elements of the multi-layer segmented shell were produced of spruce laminated veneer lumber plates, which were assembled, glued, and milled in a fully automated process by two collaborative industrial robots. The shell segments are connected using a combination of the previously established CNC-milled finger-joints [2] as well as regularly spaced steel bolts. Custom design and analysis tools were developed, in order to manage varying material thicknesses, spacing of fasteners and geometric details of the connections between adjacent segments.", "venue" : "Barcelona", "eventdate" : "7.-10.10.2019", "eventtitle" : "IASS Annual Symposium 2019 \u2013 Structural Membranes 2019", "file" : ":C\\:/Users/ac128044/Google Drive/ICD_Wagner/01_Publikationen/PUBLICATION_COLLECTION/2019_IASS.pdf:pdf", "bibtexKey": "Sonntag2019" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2a3314a2930f8c4c5750746112105f0c1/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2025","aicher","assessment","balangé","bechert","circular","construction","engineering","fabrication","gorokhova","göbel","itke","knippers","lightweight","menges","modular","relocation","robotic","schwieger","segmented","shell","structural","structure","timber" ], "intraHash" : "a3314a2930f8c4c5750746112105f0c1", "interHash" : "3bcb77135d3940acf326ac917532f269", "label" : "Segmented Timber Shells for Circular Construction: Relocation, Structural Assessment, and Robotic Fabrication of a Modular, Lightweight Timber Structure", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2025-06-11 11:46:41", "changeDate" : "2025-06-11 11:46:41", "count" : 7, "pub-type": "article", "journal": "Buildings", "year": "2025", "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/11/1857", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Simon Aicher","Lyudmila Gorokhova","Laura Balangé","Monika Göbel","Volker Schwieger","Achim Menges","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Aicher"}, {"first" : "Lyudmila", "last" : "Gorokhova"}, {"first" : "Laura", "last" : "Balangé"}, {"first" : "Monika", "last" : "Göbel"}, {"first" : "Volker", "last" : "Schwieger"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "15","number": "11","abstract": "Segmented timber shells present a novel building system that utilizes modular, planar building components to create lightweight free-form structures in architecture. Recent advancements in the research field of segmented timber shells pursue, among others, two fundamentally opposing research objectives. 1. The modularity of their building components facilitates the reuse of such structures in response to a changing built environment. 2. Advanced developments aim at establishing segmented timber shells as permanent building structures for sustainable architecture. This paper addresses the first research objective through the successful relocation of the BUGA Wood Pavilion in the context of the proposed methodology of Co-Design for circular construction. The methods and results involve integrative design and engineering processes and advanced quality assessment methods, including structural, geodetic, and physical properties for modular timber constructions. The BUGA Wood Pavilion serves as a building demonstrator for the presented research on segmented shells as lightweight, reusable, and durable timber structures.", "issn" : "2075-5309", "article-number" : "1857", "doi" : "10.3390/buildings15111857", "bibtexKey": "buildings15111857" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2a3314a2930f8c4c5750746112105f0c1/itke", "tags" : [ "modular","relocation","göbel","gorokhova","segmented","knippers","engineering","shell","circular","structure","itke","fabrication","menges","aicher","robotic","lightweight","assessment","balangé","structural","2025","construction","schwieger","timber","bechert" ], "intraHash" : "a3314a2930f8c4c5750746112105f0c1", "interHash" : "3bcb77135d3940acf326ac917532f269", "label" : "Segmented Timber Shells for Circular Construction: Relocation, Structural Assessment, and Robotic Fabrication of a Modular, Lightweight Timber Structure", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2025-06-11 11:46:41", "changeDate" : "2025-06-11 11:46:41", "count" : 7, "pub-type": "article", "journal": "Buildings", "year": "2025", "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/11/1857", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Simon Aicher","Lyudmila Gorokhova","Laura Balangé","Monika Göbel","Volker Schwieger","Achim Menges","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Aicher"}, {"first" : "Lyudmila", "last" : "Gorokhova"}, {"first" : "Laura", "last" : "Balangé"}, {"first" : "Monika", "last" : "Göbel"}, {"first" : "Volker", "last" : "Schwieger"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "15","number": "11","abstract": "Segmented timber shells present a novel building system that utilizes modular, planar building components to create lightweight free-form structures in architecture. Recent advancements in the research field of segmented timber shells pursue, among others, two fundamentally opposing research objectives. 1. The modularity of their building components facilitates the reuse of such structures in response to a changing built environment. 2. Advanced developments aim at establishing segmented timber shells as permanent building structures for sustainable architecture. This paper addresses the first research objective through the successful relocation of the BUGA Wood Pavilion in the context of the proposed methodology of Co-Design for circular construction. The methods and results involve integrative design and engineering processes and advanced quality assessment methods, including structural, geodetic, and physical properties for modular timber constructions. The BUGA Wood Pavilion serves as a building demonstrator for the presented research on segmented shells as lightweight, reusable, and durable timber structures.", "issn" : "2075-5309", "article-number" : "1857", "doi" : "10.3390/buildings15111857", "bibtexKey": "buildings15111857" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2340afc5fafcc77a807e2074ea66f5655/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2021","aldinger","bechert","buga","computational","design","engineering","fabrication","finger","form-finding","heilbronn","integrative","itke","joints","knippers","lightweight","methods","modular","optimization","plate","robotic","segmented","shell","sonntag","structure","timber" ], "intraHash" : "340afc5fafcc77a807e2074ea66f5655", "interHash" : "6e81c9dcb5cfe86b6b5e6c16652f2c05", "label" : "Integrative structural design and engineering methods for segmented timber shells : BUGA Wood Pavilion", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2023-03-27 12:30:50", "changeDate" : "2023-05-16 11:39:36", "count" : 5, "pub-type": "article", "journal": "Structures","publisher":"Elsevier", "year": "2021", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Daniel Sonntag","Lotte Aldinger","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Daniel", "last" : "Sonntag"}, {"first" : "Lotte", "last" : "Aldinger"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "34","number": "December","pages": "4814-4833","abstract": "The presented research describes the holistic development of a modular lightweight timber shell. So-called segmented timber shells approximate curved geometries with the use of planar plates, thus combining the excellent structural performance of double curved shells with the resource-efficient prefabrication of timber modules using only planar elements. Segmented timber shells constitute a novel building system that demands for innovative approaches on structural design and construction technologies. The geometric complexity of plate shells in conjunction with the particularities of the building material wood pose great challenges to the computational design and planning processes as structural requirements and fabrication constraints determine the shell design at early design phases. This paper discusses the design development and construction of the BUGA Wood Pavilion: A segmented timber shell structure made of hollow cassette components. Particular\r\nemphasis lies on the technical challenges of the employed building system, notably structural design and analysis, detailing solutions and the construction process. The authors further describe the integrative structural design and optimization methods developed for the timber shell in question. The BUGA Wood Pavilion demonstrates\r\nthe possibilities of lightweight and sustainable wood architecture merging the merits of integrative design, structural engineering and high-tech robotic fabrication methods.", "language" : "eng", "doi" : "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2021.10.032", "bibtexKey": "bechert2021integrative" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2340afc5fafcc77a807e2074ea66f5655/itke", "tags" : [ "modular","finger","sonntag","segmented","knippers","engineering","shell","2021","structure","itke","from:petraheim","fabrication","form-finding","buga","methods","aldinger","joints","heilbronn","plate","robotic","lightweight","integrative","design","optimization","timber","computational","bechert" ], "intraHash" : "340afc5fafcc77a807e2074ea66f5655", "interHash" : "6e81c9dcb5cfe86b6b5e6c16652f2c05", "label" : "Integrative structural design and engineering methods for segmented timber shells : BUGA Wood Pavilion", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2023-03-27 12:30:50", "changeDate" : "2023-05-16 11:39:36", "count" : 5, "pub-type": "article", "journal": "Structures","publisher":"Elsevier", "year": "2021", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Daniel Sonntag","Lotte Aldinger","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Daniel", "last" : "Sonntag"}, {"first" : "Lotte", "last" : "Aldinger"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "34","number": "December","pages": "4814-4833","abstract": "The presented research describes the holistic development of a modular lightweight timber shell. So-called segmented timber shells approximate curved geometries with the use of planar plates, thus combining the excellent structural performance of double curved shells with the resource-efficient prefabrication of timber modules using only planar elements. Segmented timber shells constitute a novel building system that demands for innovative approaches on structural design and construction technologies. The geometric complexity of plate shells in conjunction with the particularities of the building material wood pose great challenges to the computational design and planning processes as structural requirements and fabrication constraints determine the shell design at early design phases. This paper discusses the design development and construction of the BUGA Wood Pavilion: A segmented timber shell structure made of hollow cassette components. Particular\r\nemphasis lies on the technical challenges of the employed building system, notably structural design and analysis, detailing solutions and the construction process. The authors further describe the integrative structural design and optimization methods developed for the timber shell in question. The BUGA Wood Pavilion demonstrates\r\nthe possibilities of lightweight and sustainable wood architecture merging the merits of integrative design, structural engineering and high-tech robotic fabrication methods.", "language" : "eng", "doi" : "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2021.10.032", "bibtexKey": "bechert2021integrative" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/256f7eeb6dfd39c95c668f124ea0fb989/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2021","CLT","Timber","aldinger","architecture","bechert","computational","connection","cross-laminated","crossing-screw","curved","design","digital","engineering","fabrication","folded","integrative","itke","knippers","lightweight","menges","self-shaping","shell","structure","surface-active","tower","urbach","wood" ], "intraHash" : "56f7eeb6dfd39c95c668f124ea0fb989", "interHash" : "aad8f6d70032f2e6ebd1aa44175ecd70", "label" : "Urbach Tower: Integrative structural design of a lightweight structure made of self-shaped curved cross-laminated timber", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2021-07-06 10:40:17", "changeDate" : "2021-07-06 08:40:17", "count" : 6, "pub-type": "article", "journal": "Structures","publisher":"ELSEVIER SCI LTD", "year": "2021", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Lotte Aldinger","Dylan Wood","Jan Knippers","Achim Menges" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Lotte", "last" : "Aldinger"}, {"first" : "Dylan", "last" : "Wood"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"} ], "volume": "33","pages": "3667--3681","abstract": "Recent development in research and practice for curved cross-laminated timber (CLT) opens up novel and interesting possibilities for applications of slender surface-active shell structures in architecture. Such typologies provide advantageous structural behaviour allowing for efficient and lightweight structures while simultaneously determine the envelope and space of a building. The high degree of prefabrication combined with a sustainable and renewable building material makes CLT an ecological and economic solution for future construction. This paper presents the design development and construction of the Urbach Tower for the Remstal Gartenschau 2019: a structure made from high curvature CLT components on a building scale. This research contribution illustrates a sophisticated integrative design to construction process emphasizing computational and structural design, fabrication and detailing for curved timber components in complex spatial structures. The authors further explore the structural potential of self-shaped curved CLT investigating the influence of curvature radius on the load-bearing behaviour of the tower structure. The Urbach Tower translates these technical developments into practice arising at the intersection of digital innovation and scientific research.", "language" : "eng", "doi" : "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2021.06.073", "bibtexKey": "bechert2021urbach" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/256f7eeb6dfd39c95c668f124ea0fb989/itke", "tags" : [ "surface-active","knippers","engineering","shell","2021","digital","structure","itke","from:petraheim","fabrication","menges","cross-laminated","curved","folded","Timber","aldinger","crossing-screw","CLT","lightweight","integrative","self-shaping","design","connection","urbach","wood","computational","architecture","bechert","tower" ], "intraHash" : "56f7eeb6dfd39c95c668f124ea0fb989", "interHash" : "aad8f6d70032f2e6ebd1aa44175ecd70", "label" : "Urbach Tower: Integrative structural design of a lightweight structure made of self-shaped curved cross-laminated timber", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2021-07-06 10:40:17", "changeDate" : "2021-07-06 08:40:17", "count" : 6, "pub-type": "article", "journal": "Structures","publisher":"ELSEVIER SCI LTD", "year": "2021", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Lotte Aldinger","Dylan Wood","Jan Knippers","Achim Menges" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Lotte", "last" : "Aldinger"}, {"first" : "Dylan", "last" : "Wood"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"} ], "volume": "33","pages": "3667--3681","abstract": "Recent development in research and practice for curved cross-laminated timber (CLT) opens up novel and interesting possibilities for applications of slender surface-active shell structures in architecture. Such typologies provide advantageous structural behaviour allowing for efficient and lightweight structures while simultaneously determine the envelope and space of a building. The high degree of prefabrication combined with a sustainable and renewable building material makes CLT an ecological and economic solution for future construction. This paper presents the design development and construction of the Urbach Tower for the Remstal Gartenschau 2019: a structure made from high curvature CLT components on a building scale. This research contribution illustrates a sophisticated integrative design to construction process emphasizing computational and structural design, fabrication and detailing for curved timber components in complex spatial structures. The authors further explore the structural potential of self-shaped curved CLT investigating the influence of curvature radius on the load-bearing behaviour of the tower structure. The Urbach Tower translates these technical developments into practice arising at the intersection of digital innovation and scientific research.", "language" : "eng", "doi" : "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2021.06.073", "bibtexKey": "bechert2021urbach" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/29fa32fdbc6429900820d9a550952ad85/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2010","advanced","diss","dissertation","engineering","forschungsbericht","grid","hwang","investigation","itke","shell","spatial","structure" ], "intraHash" : "9fa32fdbc6429900820d9a550952ad85", "interHash" : "d0b08347c5da29bf15f973866384be2f", "label" : "Advanced Investigations of Grid Spatial Structures", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-06-24 14:07:20", "changeDate" : "2021-07-01 13:01:14", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "phdthesis", "series": "Forschungsberichte aus dem Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen","publisher":"Stuttgart: Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen","address":"ITKE, Stuttgart, Germany", "year": "2010", "url": "", "author": [ "Kyung-Ju Hwang" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Kyung-Ju", "last" : "Hwang"} ], "editor": [ "Jan Knippers" ], "editors": [ {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "31","abstract": "Free-form grid spatial structures and facades that follow the envelope surface of a complex-shaped skin, such as the DZ-Bank in Berlin (Frank 0. Gehry), the British Museum in London (Norman Foster), the My Zeil in Frankfurt (Massimiliano Fuksas), have become a very interesting issue in modern architecture. There are several important factors in such single layer lattice dome and complex-shaped spatial structures, for instance, optimal form finding and strong material strength and so forth, but the optimal design and analysis of connection are significant points in free-form spatial structures, because such extraordinary geometries and its continuously changing curvature can be defined by the angles of the connections' geometries, and the stiffness of connection can determine the stability of the whole free-form structure. Therefore, it is very important to recognize that the appropriate analysis and connection design have to be performed, in order to design the reasonable global single layer spatial structure and free-form spatial structures.\r\nGeneral procedures\r\nFor the FEA of four connection systems, bending stiffness (My and Mz) and axial force (F) tests were performed. These analyses include the modeling of the bolt assembly, the contact stiffness and the influence of bolt clearances, which were considered using two parameters, such that D..V=0.1 mm and 2.0mm. Due to a specific function of COMBIN39 in ANSYS, the moment-rotation behaviors and load-displacement curves could be transferred to nonlinear spring elements in global grid shells with 25 m and 50 m span that have three different rise-span ratios (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3), to realize the non linear characteristics of the connection systems.\r\n\r\nResults\r\nConnection system having two shear planes showed higher stiffness than those with one shear plane. On the other hand, node connectors with one shear plane were not as influenced by differing bolt-holes as those with two shear planes due to shape-of-joint behaviour. Secondly, the low connection stiffness with initial geometrical imperfection easily leads membrane stress to bending stress, so that the critical point of the grid shell occurred with low load failure factor. The influence of bolt clearance depends mainly on the node stiffness and rise-span ratio. The overall structural behavior of an imperfect high-rise grid shell can be very sensitive, displaying a large deviation of bending stiffness due to bolt clearances.", "isbn" : "978-3-922302-31-5", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "hwang2010advanced" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/24227971b3516b084125d1b37e8dcbac0/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2012","algorithm","architecture","based","dimcic","diss","dissertation","engineering","forschungsbericht","from:petraheim","genetic","grid","itke","optimisation","optimization","shell","structural" ], "intraHash" : "4227971b3516b084125d1b37e8dcbac0", "interHash" : "62f2af1051cae336f6d6ec10e72fed49", "label" : "Structural Optimization of Grid Shells based on Genetic Algorithms", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-06-24 13:42:52", "changeDate" : "2021-07-01 13:01:33", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "phdthesis", "series": "Forschungsberichte aus dem Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen","publisher":"Stuttgart: Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen","address":"ITKE, Stuttgart, Germany", "year": "2012", "url": "", "author": [ "Milos Dimcic" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Milos", "last" : "Dimcic"} ], "editor": [ "Jan Knippers" ], "editors": [ {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "32","abstract": "In the 21st century, as free form design gains popularity, free-form grid shells are becoming a universal structural solution, enabling merger of structure and facade into a single layer - a skin [31]. The subject of the presented work is the optimization of grid structures over some predefined free form shape, with the goal of generating\r\na stable and statically efficient structure. It is shown how combining design and FEM software in an iterative, Genetic Algorithms based, optimization process, stress and displacements in grid shell structures can be significantly reduced, whereby material can be saved and stability enhanced.\r\nWithin this research, design and static analysis software are combined in order to perform a statical optimization of grid shells,generated over a given free form surface. A plug-in for Rhinoceros 3D (software based on NURBS [44] geometry representation) is developed, that uses Genetic Algorithms as an optimization method and implements automated iterative calls to Oasys GSA (commercial FEM static analysis software) in order to generate a statically optimal grid shell. To make this possible, within this research some new types of automatic grid generation are developed. Voronoi\r\ndiagrams [11] were used together with the adapted Force-Density method [38] to develop a new type of grid structure that we called Voronax. In the presented work it was shown that, using the same free form surface, and using the same number of joints and structural members, we can generate much more efficient grid shells,\r\nwhen compared to the standard (uniform) grid structures, simply by modifying the structural grid, i.e., rearranging the structural members of the grid shell.\r\nThe work presented offers an explanation of the entire method and how it can be constructed. The results of the experiments are there to prove its efficiency and credibility. Once it is proved that the method works, its application can take various forms and be left to the creativity of the user and the requirements of the\r\nspecific project.", "isbn" : "978-3-922302-32-2", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "dimcic2012structural" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/226f1ec9390a0245dacb4b4e464bbec11/petraheim", "tags" : [ "2017","acttively","analysis","bent","diss","dissertation","engineering","form-finding","forschungsbericht","grid","itke","li","plate","segmental","shell","structural","structure","timber" ], "intraHash" : "26f1ec9390a0245dacb4b4e464bbec11", "interHash" : "b63b7f1729a68f2d49cf78422af4e9de", "label" : "Timber Shell Structures: Form-finding and Structural Analysis of Actively Bent Grid Shells and Segmental Plate Shells", "user" : "petraheim", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-06-23 16:38:28", "changeDate" : "2021-07-01 13:04:36", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "phdthesis", "series": "Forschungsberichte aus dem Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen","publisher":"Stuttgart: Institut für Tragkonstruktionen und Konstruktives Entwerfen","address":"ITKE, Stuttgart, Germany", "year": "2017", "url": "", "author": [ "Li. Jian-Min" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Li.", "last" : "Jian-Min"} ], "editor": [ "Jan Knippers" ], "editors": [ {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "volume": "42","abstract": "Shell structures are structurally efficient but difficult to manufacture and thus expansive. Actively bent grid shells and segmental plate shells could be alternatives. The first kind utilizes bended members to form a continuously curved geometry and thus reduce the complexity of the joints. The second kind utilizes the stability inherited in trivalent geometries to be able to build a shell without using bending stiff joints. Both these two types of timber shell structures could largely reduce the construction cost. That is why they are chosen as the research topics. The dynamic relaxation method (DR) is applied in this research as an important numerical method. It is used as the fundamental base for developing the form-finding tools of both actively bent grid shells\r\nand the segmental grid shells. A solver capable of the structural analysis of beam system is also developed here based on DR. Through the text, we show that DR could handle not only form-finding problems but also geometrically nonlinear analysis.\r\nThe dissertation consists of four parts. Part I is the introduction. Part II and Part III present both the form-finding and analysis techniques of these two types of timber shell structures. The last part is the conclusions.", "isbn" : "978-3-922302-42-1", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "jianmin2017timber" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/283ad214b9fee18994f2efc8798f1e367/itke", "tags" : [ "joint","glass","lippert","2012","knippers","engineering","shell","design","itke","optimisation","from:petraheim","pattern","fildhuth","architecture" ], "intraHash" : "83ad214b9fee18994f2efc8798f1e367", "interHash" : "9feea58a2d9fecb5b3e9bb108b9328f2", "label" : "Design and Joint Pattern Optimisation of Glass Shells", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-06-02 12:10:18", "changeDate" : "2020-06-02 10:10:18", "count" : 3, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "IASS-ACPS Conference Proceedings","address":"Seoul, Korea", "year": "2012", "url": "", "author": [ "Thiemo Fildhuth","S. Lippert","J Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Thiemo", "last" : "Fildhuth"}, {"first" : "S.", "last" : "Lippert"}, {"first" : "J", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "editor": [ "International Association for Shell","Spatial Structures" ], "editors": [ {"first" : "International Association", "last" : "for Shell"}, {"first" : "Spatial", "last" : "Structures"} ], "pages": "165 pp", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "fildhuth2012design" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2d563ec9faf76bc7206aebd63847f152d/itke", "tags" : [ "segmental","knippers","plate","engineering","shell","influence","form","itke","from:petraheim","2015","pattern","li" ], "intraHash" : "d563ec9faf76bc7206aebd63847f152d", "interHash" : "7c94686eb6e0317989f8a5c7808ce32b", "label" : "Pattern and form - their influence on segmental plate shells", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:53:42", "changeDate" : "2020-05-22 12:53:42", "count" : 3, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2015", "year": "2015", "url": "", "author": [ "Jian-Min Li","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Jian-Min", "last" : "Li"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "eventtitle" : "IASS Symposium 2015", "venue" : "Amsterdam, Netherlands", "language" : "eng", "eventdate" : "2015-08-17/2015-08-20", "bibtexKey": "li2015pattern" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2f340b0eeb9ab4fbdd5762bca9bc93f4f/itke", "tags" : [ "2009","buckling","connection","connector","engineering","from:petraheim","grid","hwang","influence","itke","knippers","load","node","park","shell","types","various" ], "intraHash" : "f340b0eeb9ab4fbdd5762bca9bc93f4f", "interHash" : "ff5cbf22dad48b90dd293c5634b5f2cc", "label" : "Influence of various types of node connectors on the buckling loads of grid shells", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:24:43", "changeDate" : "2021-07-09 09:04:24", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Evolution and Trends in Design, Analysis and Construction of Shell ans Spatial Structures, IASS Symposium","address":"Valencia, Spain", "year": "2009", "url": "", "author": [ "Kyung-Ju Hwang","Jan Knippers","Sun-Woo Park" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Kyung-Ju", "last" : "Hwang"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"}, {"first" : "Sun-Woo", "last" : "Park"} ], "pages": "426 \u2013 427", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "hwang2009influence" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2a7d3a944c4048508b9c3cc42096fa325/itke", "tags" : [ "curved","laminate","glass","bent","double","knippers","2011","engineering","shell","cold","itke","from:petraheim","fildhuth","architecture" ], "intraHash" : "a7d3a944c4048508b9c3cc42096fa325", "interHash" : "8f1658eecb0aec73b3c496bfe5ad639d", "label" : "Double Curved Glass Shells from Cold Bent Glass Laminates", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:24:20", "changeDate" : "2020-05-22 12:24:20", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Glass Processing Days 2011, Conference Proceedings","address":"Tampere, Finland", "year": "2011", "url": "", "author": [ "Thiemo Fildhuth","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Thiemo", "last" : "Fildhuth"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "pages": "316 - 321", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "fildhuth2011double" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2693d16d8837d39db0a77f242011fd2d1/itke", "tags" : [ "2009","architecture","dach","engineering","frankfurt","from:petraheim","glas","glasdach","grid","helbig","itke","knippers","shell","zeil" ], "intraHash" : "693d16d8837d39db0a77f242011fd2d1", "interHash" : "635e91172bc4d6c8ab6ed68263245485", "label" : "The Frankfurt Zeil Grid Shell", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:24:19", "changeDate" : "2021-07-09 09:08:28", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Evolution and Trends in Design, Analysis and Construction of Shell ans Spatial Structures, IASS Symposium","address":"Valencia, Spain", "year": "2009", "url": "", "author": [ "Jan Knippers","Thorsten Helbig" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"}, {"first" : "Thorsten", "last" : "Helbig"} ], "pages": "328 \u2013 329", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "knippers2009frankfurt" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/27526433110417bc07ec9885fb40e2b80/itke", "tags" : [ "grid","itke","from:petraheim","continuous","rod","elastic","2011","engineering","shell","form-finding" ], "intraHash" : "7526433110417bc07ec9885fb40e2b80", "interHash" : "79920e7440b9243ba1e25b4797c8e869", "label" : "Form-finding of grid shells with continuous elastic rods", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:24:19", "changeDate" : "2020-05-22 12:24:19", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Proceedings of the International Symposium of the IABSE-IASS Symposium","address":"London, UK", "year": "2011", "url": "", "author": [ "Jian-Min Li","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Jian-Min", "last" : "Li"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "li2011formfinding" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2dd9bd77093acd0fd2fa6e874dcf59386/itke", "tags" : [ "2012","architecture","design","engineering","fildhuth","from:petraheim","glass","itke","joint","knippers","lippert","optimisation","pattern","shell" ], "intraHash" : "dd9bd77093acd0fd2fa6e874dcf59386", "interHash" : "9feea58a2d9fecb5b3e9bb108b9328f2", "label" : "Design and Joint Pattern Optimisation of Glass Shells", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:23:59", "changeDate" : "2020-05-25 09:39:36", "count" : 3, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "IASS-ACPS Conference Proceedings","address":"Seoul, Korea", "year": "2012", "url": "", "author": [ "Thiemo Fildhuth","S. Lippert","J Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Thiemo", "last" : "Fildhuth"}, {"first" : "S.", "last" : "Lippert"}, {"first" : "J", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "pages": "165 pp", "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "fildhuth2012design" } ] }