Disruptive Technologies: Material
Fabric Cast Concrete: Building for Efficiency
Fabric Cast Concrete: Building for Efficiency
In this project I worked with a fellow student, using the fairly new technology of fabric cast concrete, strieved to create a system for quantifying and replicating form for use as a frame structure. The main driving concept behind our project was 'efficiency'. We aimed for efficiency in three main areas, sustainability, repeatability and lastly we needed the object to be quantifiable.
We thought about sustainability in a couple of different ways. There are the obvious things such as fly ash and organic aggregate but we also began to look at a componentised system so that if the structure became undesirable it could be changed far easier than if it was cast as a solid element. The second important influence we took from sustainability was to focust our attention to a frame structure since this would allow the most amount of flexibility within the structure meaning that the building would be fit for future improvement.
The repeatability and ability to quantify our work went hand in hand. The reason for the aim of quantifiability and repeatability was so that we could not only work out an approximate shape which would allow us to roughly calculate the amount of concrete required but also so that we could re-use formwork which would further add to the sustainability of the project.
There are more detailed week by week accounts of the project here:
columns: http://www.francismckernan.co.uk/19.09.2011.html
beams: http://archibitd.tumblr.com/post/11072361313/learning-curves
After an initial few tests with fabric cast concrete, learing of the possible textures and properties of concrete as well as the possibility of tensile fabric to pour the shape I wanted I moved onto the shape of the beam. Francis had been doing a column so it was easy to see that these projects we began working together on a post and beam construction.
We then moved towards the aims of our concept. To create a repeatable beam it became necessary to model the surface development (a flat folded out version of the desired 3D shape). In modelling the surface development we were able to easily tweak and replicate the shape quickly.
After I had sewn the first beam together I hung it from a steel frame and began pouring concrete into the two ends which had a secured triangular shape to create a series of flat shapes. After it had set we used the crane to lift it from the steel frame so we could turn the beam the right way up. There was creasing on the end of the beam but it didn't seem to matter structurally since, through testing, we found it could take the weight of at least three people.
There were however, a few modifications to make. The ends needed to be flat surfaces in order for three of them to fit onto the top of the column and they also had to have a steel tube within the end in order to bolt the ends down.
There were however, a few modifications to make. The ends needed to be flat surfaces in order for three of them to fit onto the top of the column and they also had to have a steel tube within the end in order to bolt the ends down.
