The Digital Building Kit - Simulation-based models and methods for the design of modular concrete structures, 2. phase

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Roland Wüchner, since 10/2024
• Subject Area: Structural Engineering, Building Informatics and Construction Operation ; Applied Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 423935790

In the first application phase, a continuous digital model was created, the digital construction kit, which enables essential questions in the structural design of modular construction to be clarified. This includes the complete design chain from the first preliminary design, detailing, static-mechanical simulation and design to the statically correct monitoring of the assembly process and the construction progress. A key feature is the use and further development of parametric methods for interactive, CAD-based design, sensitivity analysis and optimization. The technological basis for this is the isogeometric analysis and the consequent further developments.In the next phase of the project, detailed methodological questions will be addressed in the modular system in order to solve specific problems. This includes the further development and integration of kinematic and coupling formulations in order to model structural details accurately and efficiently so that the entire structural system can be represented. Furthermore, a main focus will be the extension of 3D volume-based isogeometric analysis in order to be able to design geometrically complex components. These numerical fundamentals will be used to enable an efficient use of the modular structures. For this purpose, methods will be developed to optimize the modules for structural efficiency and reduced material consumption. Furthermore, it is necessary to implement specific adjustments of the respective module boundaries on given load-bearing structures. Finally, the component redundancy determination shall represent a further research core. A redundancy distribution that is as even as possible would mean an equal share of the load transfer. Conversely, this information can be used to draw conclusions about the consequences of a module failure on the residual capacity of the system. Based on the knowledge about the importance of individual components, tolerances for the design can be defined or inspection intervals can be determined.Software developments are published continuously and made available as open source (Cocodrilo and Kratos Multiphysics). The very good cooperation with the other SPP partners will be continued in the next phase. The demonstrators of the project partners, especially the groups of Prof. Menges and Prof. Sobek will be used to extend our methods and to present them in a consistent model. In addition, the benchmark building construction will be used to consolidate our research.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 2187: Adaptive modularized constructions made in a flux: precise and rapid building
• Ehemaliger Antragsteller: Professor Dr.-Ing. Kai-Uwe Bletzinger, until 10/2024