FreeGrid - About

FreeGrid AIMS & GOALS

filling the gap between mechanical modelling/analysis and design practice/applications by proposing a truly design problem, and targeting the rigorous quantitative comparison of the solutions;
collecting contributions from experts in different disciplinary fields: mathematics, computer graphics, mechanics, structural engineering, architecture, designers and builders;
comparing different approaches to the conceptual design of form-resistant structures, from heuristic design, to experimental-based design, to Computational-based design;
improving the systematic knowledge of design solutions for gridshell with edges partially free of constraints;
holistic improvement of structural, buildability, and sustainability performances;
securing the fair comparison among design solutions, by defining quantitative design goals and related performance metrics;
securing the reproducibility of the design solutions and their performance assessment, by asking to participants to provide the full description of their geometrical and mechanical features, and of the methods adopted for design/optimization/assessment.

FreeGrid setup details are specified in the Technical Specifications available for download in the Docs section.

In the following, you can find a short overview.

FreeGrid PROBLEM SETTING

FreeGrid sets three Design Baseline Gridshell (DBG):

barrel vault with parabolic generatrix and simple curvature
parabolic dome with double gaussian positive curvature
hyperbolic paraboloid with double gaussian negative curvature

made of steel members, with their spring line partially not constrained (free-edge), subjected to symmetric and asymmetric load conditions at both Serviceability and Ultimate Limit States.

FreeGrid DESIGN GOALS

Participants are called to modify the DBG(s) above and conceive Design Solution Gridshell(s) (DSG) in order to holistically improve:

Structural performances, by increasing stability and reducing deformability at Ultimate and Serviceability Limit States, respectively;
Buildability performances, by reducing the face out-of-planarity, the structural joint number, the types of the structural joints (valence and relative angles of the converging members) and of members (length and cross section);
Sustainability performances, by reducing the gridshell embodied carbon, that depends on the steel weight and grade, and on the type of sections of the structural members.

The partial performance metrics result from quantitative single design goal metrics, and are finally combined in a bulk performance metric.

FreeGrid DESIGN CONSTRAINTS

Participants shall comply with a limited number of design

Geometrical constraints;
Mechanical constraints.

Whichever design parameter can be varied if not explicitly excluded, for instance geometry (e.g. overall shape of the gridshell, node position, grid density and topology), number and properties of the structural members (cross section, length), number and type of the structural joints, steel grade, prestressing magnitude if any, et cetera.

With the support of the Italian Council for Steel Structures

Under the umbrella of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures

With the industrial partner: ArcelorMittal Steligence