Design and industrial application of form-flexible textile reinforced concrete shell structures

Advancement in design tools have enabled architects to explore astonishing free-form shell designs. However, their physical realization remains limited due to challenges in construction, reinforcement systems and lack of design methodologies. This thesis addresses these limitations by presenting constructional and computational methodologies for the design and construction process of free-form shell structures. Thermoplastic polymer-coated textile reinforcement is a feasible alternative for reinforcing curved structures due to its shaping capability. Experimental investigation of shaping and environmental impact analysis was conducted to understand the feasibility of this novel technology. A shape optimization framework integrating Grasshopper and ABAQUS was developed to enable the optimization considering anisotropic behavior of the composite. In addition, interpretable machine learning approach was utilized to analyze how geometric modifications affect structural performance. Finally, a simulation-based model of an existing precast concrete facility was created in Simio platform to investigate the integration of textile reinforcement shaping and adaptive mold technologies into existing facilities. This study presents a comprehensive approach that bridges design, construction, and environmental analysis, ultimately paving the way for sustainable construction of form flexible textile reinforced concrete shell structures.