Digital Fabrication Methods Of Composite Architectural Panels For Complex Shaped Buildings

Composite materials have been explored in architecture for their high performance characteristics that allow customization of functional properties of lightness, strength, stiffness and fracture toughness. Particularly, engineering advancements and better understanding of fiber composites have resulted in growing applications for architectural structures and envelopes. As most developments started outside the realm of architecture such as automobile and aeronautical industries, there is need to advance knowledge in architectural design to take advantage of this new technology. In this paper, the authors introduce preliminary results of new digitally driven fabrication methods for fiber-reinforced composite sandwich panels for complex shaped buildings. This research examined the material properties, manufacturing methods and fabrication techniques needed to develop a proof of concept system using off-the-shelf production technology that ultimately can be packaged into a containerized facility for on-site panel production. Experiments focused on developing a digitally controlled deformable mold to create composite relief structures for highly customized geometrical facade components. Research findings of production materials, methods, assembly techniques, are discussed to offer insights into novel opportunities for architectural composite panel fabrication and commercialization.