A Novel Approach of Structural FE Modelling Using 4D Architectural Design Sketches

Abstract

This paper describes a novel methodology for a quick structural finite element (FE) modelling of free-form and high-rise structures sketched within a developed 4D semantic, mixed reality sketching application, targeted for early stages of architectural design, followed by a shape inference pipeline. The novel approach presented in this paper intends to estimate structural viability for the architectural concept in the early preliminary draft. A fast collaborative export of geometrical data from the sketching app to the generative algorithm for the assembling of structural topology will be used to define analytical FE model. With pre-defined data, such as material information and the type of load-bearing system, a simple linear-elastic FE calculation will be conducted in order to analyse the structural parts in ultimate (ULS) and serviceability limit states (SLS) and point out the problematic places. Once the decision regarding the architectural design of the sketched structure is made, the compiled FE model will be afterwards transferred to a commercial FE software in order to undergo further, more detailed structural analysis. The advantage of the described modelling method is a) time saving as it generates a model directly upon architectural design, and b) by generation of the plausible FE model in the very early stages of planning and post-editing it during the process.