Papers by Mania Aghaei Meibodi
Fourth RILEM International Conference on Concrete and Digital Fabrication , 2024
The production of freeform building panels in concrete is often lim- ited by the fabrication capa... more The production of freeform building panels in concrete is often lim- ited by the fabrication capacity of custom formworks. Creating such formworks is time and labor-intensive as well as wasteful as the formworks are commonly discarded after use. This research develops a novel approach for the production of freeform panels through coupling robotic 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) and a CNC Dynamic Bed Device (DBD). This enables the production of waste-free, freeform, and highly detailed concrete panels without requiring individualized formwork. The DBD features a composite printing surface made of silicone and a TPU grid, achieving two paradoxical aspects: maximum geometric flexibility while main- taining structural integrity and preventing buckling under the material’s weight in the span between actuating pins. The geometric fidelity of the DBD is verified through a series of laser scans of the bed in convex, concave, complex saddle, and single-curved geometries. The production of complex freeform panels with textures through 3DCP and DBD involved nonplanar print path strategies. This is key in achieving consistent filament deposition and avoiding under/over-extrusion. The results included 5 unique 3DCP freeform panels. Each panel measured 50× 50 cm.
Digital Concrete 2024 - Supplementary Proceedings , 2024
3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) has paid little attention to producing material-efficient parts. Mate... more 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) has paid little attention to producing material-efficient parts. Material optimization methods, such as topology optimization, often result in forms with complex geometries-extreme overhangs and multi-branching-that are challenging to achieve in large-scale 3DCP. The limited studies on 3DCP of topology-optimized forms often (a) use excessive supporting material, resulting in waste, or (b) discretize topology-optimized forms into simpler components that are later assembled, leading to labor-intensive assembly and accuracy errors. This research seeks to enable the 3D concrete printing of such structures in a streamlined process, eliminating the need for discretization and support materials. To prevent collapse during the 3D printing of extreme overhangs, we explore a method that combines 3DCP with the simultaneous casting of fast-setting concrete materials. For precise concrete deposition that accurately follows the contours of a shape, we introduce topologyinformed non-planar printpath and a variable material deposition rate. The method is investigated through a construction scale load-bearing wall, Branch Wall, with steep cantilever branches and in-between thin surfaces and a series of S-Shape specimens (230 mm diameter and 500 mm height) produced through simultaneous 3DCP and casting of fast-setting concrete.
ACADIA proceedings, Dec 31, 2019
ACADIA 19: Ubiquity and Autonomy. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 2019
Proceedings of the 40th International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe) [Volume 1]
30th International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe) Czech Tech Univ, Fac Architecture, Prague, CZECH REPUBLICSEP 12-14, 2012, 2013
The use of digital design and fabrication technologies in architecture has followed a paradigm sh... more The use of digital design and fabrication technologies in architecture has followed a paradigm shift, which has seen the topology, form and structure of architecture pushed to incorporate areas such as climate, construction, acoustic etc. While these digital technologies are intended to enhance the processes and performance, a discussion of aesthetics has been ignored. Surmising that the use of digital technology enhances the performability and efficiency aspects of architecture as well as the aesthetics, this research questions what the new relationships and arrangements for structure and ornament are. What are the challenges when structure uses a process-based logic and is sensitive to materiality whereas the aesthetics has a representation-based logic and is not sensitive to materiality? The authors of this paper contribute to this debate by using the notion of tectonic as a platform for gaining and creating knowledge about this issue and examining the issues through the design and prototyping of a Multi-functional Pavilion.
Metal joints play a relevant role in space frame constructions, being responsible for large amoun... more Metal joints play a relevant role in space frame constructions, being responsible for large amount of the overall material and fabrication cost. Space frames which are constructed with standardized metal joints are constrained to repetitive structures and topologies. For customized space frames, the fabrication of individual metal joints still remains a challenge. Traditional fabrication methods such as sand casting are labour intensive, while direct 3D metal printing is too expensive and slow for the large volumes needed in architecture.This research investigates the use of Binder Jetting technology to 3D print sand molds for casting bespoke metal joints in architecture. Using this approach, a large number of custom metal joints can be fabricated economically in short time. By automating the generation of the joint geometry and the corresponding mold system, an efficient digital process chain from design to fabrication is established. Several design studies for cast metal joints ar...
Today, computation serves as an important intermediary agent for the integration of analyses and ... more Today, computation serves as an important intermediary agent for the integration of analyses and the constraints of materialisation into design processes. Research efforts in the field have emphasi ...
This paper describes the technological advances in design and manufacturing tools that have resul... more This paper describes the technological advances in design and manufacturing tools that have resulted from their computerization/digitalization. I argue that with current technological advances it i ...
The optimization of slab systems can have a large impact on buildings: more compact slabs allow f... more The optimization of slab systems can have a large impact on buildings: more compact slabs allow for more usable space within the same building volume, refined structural concepts allow for material reduction, and integrated prefabrication can reduce complexity on the construction site. We present a novel slab system which reduces material through concentrating concrete in hierarchical ribs on a 20 mm thick concrete shell. This slab structure provides voids to integrate electrical conduits, sprinklers and lighting. It is prefabricated out of prestressed concrete elements, for which we introduce a hybrid formwork approach, combining 3D printing and CNC laser-cut timber formwork. The formwork is used with casting and spraying concrete to enable efficient fabrication of free-form geometry with highly detailed surfaces. A digital process chain connects the design of the elements, the integration of the building services and the fabrication data of the formwork. This research is demonstra...
Manifested in form is an investigation of the current states of both the product and the processe... more Manifested in form is an investigation of the current states of both the product and the processes of digital design in architecture. This licentiate thesis is a part of an ongoing PhD research stu ...
Uploads
Papers by Mania Aghaei Meibodi