Extended and integrated numerical form finding and patterning of membrane structures

Within this contribution, advanced methods for form finding and patterning of membrane structures are presented. They rely on a correct nonlinear continuum mechanical description, which allows for a highly detailed description of the underlying stress state. As one of the most general form finding methods, the Updated Reference Strategy is investigated, which is applicable for cables and membranes and for any kind offinite element discretization. The cutting pattern procedure is based on an "inverse " engineering approach: The yet unknown reference configuration - the cutting pattern - is modified in such a way, that the difference between the resulting stresses in the final assembled three-dimensional structure and the prescribed stress distribution is minimized. In addition to the individual description of these methods, an extended framework for a detailed analysis and design of membrane structures is presented, whose main focus is to include the influence of the cutting pattern already in the form finding process and structural analysis: Because spatially curved membrane structures are not developable, additional stresses arise in the membrane which have to be included in a detailed modelling of the structure, but have been neglected by conventional approaches.