{ "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/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/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/2b3a4cc8d934e1b348514210472f85a33/itke", "tags" : [ "waimer","2013","magna","knippers","engineering","shell","nature-inspired","optimization","structural","itke","optimisation","from:petraheim","freeform","architecture" ], "intraHash" : "b3a4cc8d934e1b348514210472f85a33", "interHash" : "e8b58afc64283d3e1854def733d09923", "label" : "Nature-inspired structural optimization of freeform shells", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:23:59", "changeDate" : "2020-05-22 12:23:59", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "ICSA 2013- Structures and Architecture","address":"Guimaraes, Portugal", "year": "2013", "url": "", "author": [ "Frédéric Waimer","Riccardo La magna","jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Frédéric", "last" : "Waimer"}, {"first" : "Riccardo", "last" : "La magna"}, {"first" : "jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "waimer2013natureinspired" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/2af6a011c45d52bf62bd060276dbec7c1/itke", "tags" : [ "segmented","knippers","shell","performance","groenewolt","structure","system","2018","structural","itke","from:petraheim","construction","krieg","timber","menges","architecture","bechert" ], "intraHash" : "af6a011c45d52bf62bd060276dbec7c1", "interHash" : "b44e4fde9651578fa5f3e8f5d667e097", "label" : "Structural Performance of Construction Systems for Segmented Timber Shell Structures", "user" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:22:38", "changeDate" : "2020-05-22 12:22:38", "count" : 2, "pub-type": "inproceedings", "booktitle": "Proceedings of the IASS Annual Symposium 2018 Creativity in Structural Design","address":"Boston, USA", "year": "2018", "url": "", "author": [ "Simon Bechert","Abel Groenewolt","Oliver D. Krieg","Achim Menges","Jan Knippers" ], "authors": [ {"first" : "Simon", "last" : "Bechert"}, {"first" : "Abel", "last" : "Groenewolt"}, {"first" : "Oliver D.", "last" : "Krieg"}, {"first" : "Achim", "last" : "Menges"}, {"first" : "Jan", "last" : "Knippers"} ], "language" : "eng", "bibtexKey": "bechert2018structural" } , { "type" : "Publication", "id" : "https://puma.ub.uni-stuttgart.de/bibtex/226f1ec9390a0245dacb4b4e464bbec11/itke", "tags" : [ "2017","acttively","analysis","bent","diss","dissertation","engineering","form-finding","forschungsbericht","from:petraheim","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" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:20:04", "changeDate" : "2020-06-23 14:37:36", "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/24227971b3516b084125d1b37e8dcbac0/itke", "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" : "itke", "description" : "", "date" : "2020-05-22 14:20:03", "changeDate" : "2020-06-24 11:41:45", "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" } ] }