Thin Shells Form-Finding

Abstract

Thin concrete shells design requires the determination of the convenient shapes. Several methods have been developed, principally based upon analogies with physical models. A new form-finding method devoted to the numerical calculation of shell geometry and stress distribution is proposed in this paper. The mechanical approach is related to the surface stress density method, originally developed for tensile fabric membranes. This process provides builders with an effective design tool and the possibility of generating various and suitable shapes in an interactive way.