Thursday, 23rd of July 2015, at 11h30, Faculty of Architecture (UL), Post-Graduation Pavilion room 5.0.9

This work presents an application of Shape Grammar (SG) in automatic design of spatial trusses (ST) manufactured with tubular steel members.

SG is a powerful approach for geometric parameterization based on set of rules and recursive application over an initial shape.

This strategy offers control over a large domain of topologies from a relatively short set of parameters, which may control the main geometrical properties of the system. These characteristics (large domain, few parameters and efficient constraint) have a very important influence over the computational costs and results in usual optimization algorithms, as for example the topological optimization by Genetic Algorithms.

In this context, Shape Grammar proved to be an efficient approach for improvement of structural steel products [1].

The main contributions of the present work are developments and implementation of parametric rules for a specific ST-Grammar. A graphic user interface is provided taking advantage of OpenGL. All algorithms are implemented in a mixed Fortran/C++ language. Finally, illustrative examples of spatial trussed roof systems are shown.

Juarez Franco is Phd in Civil Engineering and Master in Architecture. His research is addressed to automatic design and optimization of framed steel structures, with interest in shape grammar formalism, genetic algorithms and buckling of thin-walled structures.