Modular shell structures in Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC): A structural feasibility study

Shell structures suffer from labor intensive fabrication techniques, characterized by extensive in situ formwork and falsework. Labelled by a prominent economic impact, combined with an environmental impact (e.g. single-use formworks made from EPS), these structures lost their initial value in industry. This research proposes a modular design method for the facilitated manufacturing of shell structures, using textile reinforced concrete (TRC) composites. The investigation is two-fold. The first part is a geometrical study, defining formwork modules with which several different shell configurations can be achieved. The form finding process for the design of such configurations, will be briefly discussed. The second part is a structural study, in which the structural behavior of the modular shells is evaluated. Finite element simulations were performed on a study case, under its most determining load case, in order to evaluate the design result. The results demonstrate the structural feasibility of the modular shell design strategy.