ADVANCED TECTONICS:
AS 3200 FALL 2011
FABRIC
FORM
SURFACE + STRUCTURE + MATERIAL ASSEMBLY
14
15
2011 SCI-Arc
Southern California Institute of Architecture
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ADVANCED TECTONICS:
SURFACE + STRUCTURE + MATERIAL ASSEMBLY
AS 3200 FALL 2011
FABRIC
FORM
CONTENTS
09
RESEARCH
21
PRECEDENT STUDIES
27
PROCESS
61
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
AS 3200 FALL 2011
A large amount of research material relating to the
use and development of fabric form technology are
available online.
One of the most concise assessments of the
processes both its potential and its present
limitations is provided by engineer, Robert M. Schultz.
Shultzs article Fabric Forms for Architectural
Concrete appears on the following pages.
RESEARCH
By
ROBERT P. SCHMITZ , P . E .
This article will focus on fabric formworks for use
in forming concrete members used in architectural
works but it should be kept in mind that this versatile
means of containing concrete saw some of its first
use in civil engineering works such as erosion control.
Concrete members for architectural works have
traditionally been cast using a rigid formwork in some
desired arrangement ever since men first sought to
contain early forms of mortar and concrete in their
structures. And given the need for a mortar or concrete
to set and cure properly the use of a flexible formwork
might appear to be rather ill-suited for casting any
concrete member. But, this method of casting concrete
may in fact be used nearly anywhere a rigid formwork
is used and is beginning to attract attention as a
method of forming concrete members now that strong
and inexpensive geotextiles have become available.
BACKGROUND
in an architectural application was the late Spanish
architect Miguel Fisac with his 1970s design of
the Juan Zurita residence in Madrid, Spain . His
use of rope and plastic sheeting to create these
RESEARCH
One of the first architects to use a flexible formwork
precast panels imparts a sense of warmth and
softness to an otherwise cold and hard substance.
Another architect whose work has softened up
concrete is Japanese architect Kenzo Unno. Working
independently of Fisac he has developed several
cast-in-place (CIP) fabric-formed wall systems since
the mid 1990s. The Kobe earthquake on January 17,
1995 provided the motivation for Unno to create
residential designs that are intended to provide safe
housing using simple methods of construction with as
little construction waste as possible. Using standard
wall ties and the walls reinforcement for support of
the fabric membrane his quilt-point restraint method,
for example, creates a pattern reminiscent of a quilt.
Here in the USA a Vermont Design Builder, Sandy
Lawton, has used geotextiles to form the columns,
walls and floors for a nontraditional treehouse
which was completed in 2007).
09
10
See the Picasa website http:// picasaweb.google.
com/arrodesign for construction and completed
project photos of this truly unique application using
fabric formwork.
Foundations, continuous and spread footings and
piers (or columns), have also benefitted by the use
of flexible fabric systems. Since 1993 Richard Fearn,
owner and founder of Fab-Form Industries, Ltd.,
has developed and marketed several fabric forming
products including; Fastfoot for continuous and
spread footings; Fastbag for spread footings and
Fast-TubeTM for piers and columns.
These are but several of the examples where a
flexible fabric formwork has been put to practical use
forming architectural applications. Fabric forming
applications include:
Walls
Cast-in-place
Precast
Shotcrete thin-shell curtain wall systems.
Beam and floor systems
Trusses
Columns
Vaults
Prefabrication of thin-shell funicular
compressionvaults.
Molds for stay-in-place concrete formwork pans.
Foundations
Continuous and spread footing systems.
Civil engineering works
Revetments, underwater pile jackets and pond liners.
Coastal and river structures
While its true that a flexible fabric formwork may
be used nearly anywhere a rigid formwork is used, a
significant amount of research remains to be done to
bring these systems into everyday practical use by
the construction industry. ACI (American Concrete
Institute) Committee 347 has addressed rigid
formwork since 1963 but it was only recently (2005)
that ACI Committee 334 introduced the construction
of shells using inflated forms even though several
methods of construction using inflated forms have
been available since the early 1940s. It is hoped
standards and guidelines for using flexible fabric
formworks will be developed in a timelier manner for
the design community to take full advantage of this
method of forming concrete members.
Countries with schools of architecture and
engineering with students conducting research
include the United States, Canada, England, Scotland,
Mexico, Chile, Belgium and the Netherlands. The most
prolific research currently being conducted is under
the direction of Professor Mark West, Director of the
Centre for Architectural Structures and Technology
(C.A.S.T.) at the University of Manitoba, Canada.
The authors first introduction to flexible formwork
came from reading an article by Professor West
published in Concrete International [1]. A visit to
RESEARCH
BASIC PRINCIPLES
C.A.S.T. in June of 2004 exposed the author to this
most unique method of forming concrete members.
Professor West and his architectural students at
C.A.S.T. first began exploring the use of flexible
formwork for precasting concrete wall panels in 2002.
The shape a wall panel could take was first explored
using a plaster model with various interior support
and perimeter boundary conditions. The cloth fabric,
when draped over interior supports and secured at
the perimeter, deforms as gravity forms the shape
of the panel with the fluid plaster as shown in the
completed plaster casts. Once a satisfactory design
has been obtained, a full-scale cast with concrete can
be made.
The casting of a full-scale panel using concrete
requires finding a fabric capable of supporting the
weight of the wet concrete. For this purpose, a
geotextile fabric made of woven polypropylene fibers
was utilized. Assorted interior supports were added
11
12
to the formwork and the flexible fabric material was
by an increase in temperature as might occur
pretensioned at the perimeter. Depending upon the
during hydration of the concrete as it cures.
configuration of these interior support conditions,
three-dimensional funicular tension curves are
The concrete must be placed carefully and the
produced in the fabric as it deformed under the
fabric formwork must not be jostled while the
weight of the wet concrete. Reinforcement added to
concrete is in a plastic state.
the panel only served to hold it together and was not
for any particular loading condition for the completed
We believe however, until new fabrics are developed
panel.
the benefits of using geotextiles far outweighs any
disadvantages.
Geotextile fabric as a formwork has a number of
advantages including:
ENGINEERING COMPLEX FORMS
The forming of very complex shapes is possible.
It is strong, lightweight, inexpensive, will not
propagate a tear and is reusable.
Less concrete and reinforcing are required leading
to a conservation of materials.
Filtering action of the fabric improves the surface
finish and durability of the concrete member.
It also has several disadvantages including:
Relaxation can occur due to the prestress forces
in the membrane. There is the potential for creep
in the geotextile material, which can be accelerated
The design of a fabric-formed concrete panel may
be approached in several ways. Each approach must
take into account the panels anchor locations to the
backup framing system. One approach might be to
locate the anchor points based on the most efficient
panel design. Another approach could be to locate the
anchor points based on the most pleasing appearance
the panel takes due to the deformed fabric shape, and
still another could be to consider both efficiency and
appearance as a basis for the anchor locations.
RESEARCH
How might a precast wall panel system, for
example, be engineered? Straightforward methods
of analysis and design are available for the
traditionally cast concrete wall or floor panel.
This is not so for the panel cast in a flexible fabric
formwork. Shapes as complex as these require the
use of finite element analysis (FEA) software. A
procedure to form-find and ana-lyze the complex
panel shape is required. Prior to a thesis (2004) and
a paper (2006) by the author to introduce a design
procedure that allows one to design a fabric cast
concrete panel, no design procedures or methods to
predict the deflected shape of a fabric cast panel
had been developed.
13
14
A four-step procedure for analytically modeling
Find new simple and efficient forming strategies
a fabric formwork was developed employing the
using standard tools and fasteners for all the
structural analysis program ADINA to analyze the
architectural applications mentioned above.
formwork and the concrete panel cast in it. The final
panel form, function and performance of the fabric
Develop strategies that not only lead to an
membrane and the reinforcement of the panel for
aesthetically pleasing structural form but that are
design loads all add to the complexities of the panels
efficient and sustainable as well.
analysis and design .
. make these new technologies available to
A precast fabric-formed concrete wall panel, poured
both high and low capital building cultures.
flat in a bed, may be one of the simpler concrete
(C.A.S.T. brochure)
members to analyze; but when it comes to other
concrete member shapes, one thing is clear, the
In addition to the fabric-formed precast concrete wall
system will undoubtedly be very complex and a
panels previously mentioned they have explored and
procedure using finite
continue to explore fabric-formed beams, trusses,
columns, vaults and shotcrete thin-shell curtain wall
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH
systems.
C.A.S.T. students explore full-scale construction
While the list of countries conducting research into
techniques by first modeling them in plaster and then
the use of fabric as a formwork for architectural
casting them in concrete at full-scale. And as part of
works continues to grow, the research at C.A.S.T. has
the engineering research being done at C.A.S.T. Ph.D.
been the most innovative and pioneering effort the
students are conducting structural tests on variable
author has seen to date. Their research centers on
section beams and trusses as well. Variable section
the development of new technologies for forming
beams by using less concrete than an equivalent
concrete structural members using fabric formworks.
rectangular beam can offer a substantial savings in
They seek to:element methods will be required.
the amount of materials required for construction
contributing to a more efficient and sustainable design.
Simple, flat rectangular sheets of fabric are also
being used to explore the shapes columns might take.
And while structural efficiency may not play a major
boring as they can take on a very sculptural look.
Most recently C.A.S.T. research has focused on
thinshell concrete vaults formed from fabric molds.
RESEARCH
role in their design their appearance is anything but
These vaults can themselves serve as molds for
stay-in-place formwork pans or glass fiber reinforced
concrete (GFRC) applications. Their innovative work
closely follows methods of funicular shell formation
first pioneered by Heinz Isler. Isler used small-scale
funicular models to determine full-scale geometry
and structural behavior of reinforced concrete thinshell structures.
15
16
Fabric sheets are allowed to deflect into naturally
occurring funicular geometries, producing molds
for lightweight funicular compression vaults and
double curvature wall panels. Figures 18 thru 21 show
the process of taking that pure funicular tension
geometry and inverting it to produce pure funicular
compression geometry, a most efficient structural
shape. And, as a method of construction, inverse
casts can also reduce the amount of concrete used
and as a result the dead weight superimposed
on the supporting structural members below. It
should be noted here however, that in order for the
will release without the use of release agents but
compression vault to carry a uniformload the fabric
adhere to the fuzzy nonwoven side.
formwork membrane must also be loaded uniformly.
Other loading conditions can be accommodated by
Another vault option being explored is a direct-cast
altering the load placed on the membrane to reflect
fabric-formed thin-shell vault that can span between
the design load which automatically alters the
abutments in a beamlike fashion. These members
membranes geometry accordingly.
are formed using a single flat rectangular sheet of
fabric simply hung from a perimeter frame and used
Creating formwork intended for thin-shell GFRC
as a mold to form a double curvature vault. Using a
stay-in-place formwork pans for CIP floor slabs or
carbon fiber grid in lieu of conventional reinforcing
thinshell funicular compression vaults also shows
steel allows for a creation of a very thin section
great promise. The use of GFRC stay-in-place
only 3cm (1.2 in.) thic. The completed vault, as shown
formwork pans for a CIP floor slab system allows
the slab to span between integral support beams
in pure compression. The reduction of construction
materials including those consumed in formwork,
concrete and reinforcement along with a reduction
in the deadweight of the system all help to
contribute to structural sustainability.
in, would certainly enhance the appearance of any
enclosed space. C.A.S.T. has created a number of
variations in vault construction using this fabric
formed approach; see their website for further
information.
The engineering of these complex and exotic vault
and thin-shell panel shapes will require an approach
different than the form-finding approach described
Fabric-formed rigid molds required the production
above for a horizontal fabric formed precast panel.
of a new fabric that allowed concrete to adhere
Whereas Isler tested small scale models of his shell
to one side but not the other. High density fabrics
structures and then scaled them up to full size these
woven from polyethylene or polypropylene can be
vaults and thin-shell wall panels may already be at
manufactured with a smooth coating on one side
fullscale before they are put to use. Two approaches
and a fuzzynon-woven fabric welded to the other.
to the engineering analysis of these thin-shell panel
Concrete placed against the smooth coated side
shapes might be considered. One is a photographic
method using a commercially available software
program called PhotoModeler Scanner. This
program imports images from a digital camera to
can be exported to FEA software. Another method
might be to use High Definition Laser Scanning
which also creates a dense point cloud and mesh
data which can be exported to FEA software. Both
RESEARCH
create a dense point cloud and mesh data which
approaches will involve an iterative process where
one would first image the basic member shape and
then analyze it for the superimposed design loads.
Results of the first analysis would show where weak
points in the member occur. Further analysis would
suggest to what degree the member needs to be
built-up using additional textile reinforcement and
concrete materials.
17
18
Conclusions and Further Research
Finding the most advantageous reinforcing textiles
By utilizing a flexible fabric formwork, such as a
including thin-shell shapes.
geotextile, several advantages have been noted:
The development of new fabrics, with improved
for the reinforcement of all fabric-formed members
properties over those of geotextile fabrics, for use as
The forming of very complex shapes is possible.
flexible formworks.
Geotextile fabric is strong, lightweight, inexpensive
The development of standards and guidelines for
and is reusable.
use in precast and cast-in-place forming systems are
Improved surface finish and durability due to its
needed for this method of forming to be of practical
filtering action.
use to the design community. We hope this article has
A more efficient and sustainable design is possible
piqued your interest and left you inspired. Readers
since material is placed only where it is needed
interested in additional information are encouraged
form follows function.
to visit the websites listed under
Flexible fabric formwork increases freedom of
Further information especially, the C.A.S.T. website
design expression and can spark the imagination of
at the University of Manitoba where numerous
architects and designers to think beyond the simple
examples and literature on this topic may be found.
prismatic shape.
The development of a fabric formwork system has
Further Information
the potential to significantly reduce mans impact on
the environment in terms of materials and energy
Authors web site dedicated to research on this
usage. The advancement of FABRIC-FORMED
topic: www.fabric-formedconcrete.com.
concrete would be furthered by:
The Centre for Architectural Structures and
Design and modeling verification for research work
Technology (C.A.S.T.) at the University of
being done on precast concrete wall panels is needed.
Manitoba, Canada.
Investigating reinforcement options:
Contact: Mark West,
Fiberglass rebar
E-mail: [email protected]
Alkali resistant (AR) glass textile
Web site: http://www.umanitoba.ca/ cast_building/
Carbon-fiber grids
The International Society of Fabric Forming (ISOFF).
Web site: http://www.fabricforming.org/
Fab-Form Industries, Ltd., Surrey, British Columbia,
Canada.
form.com
Web site: http://www.fab-form.com/
Monolithic (air inflated domes), Italy, Texas.
RESEARCH
Contact: Richard Fearn, E-mail: richard.fearn@fab
Web site: http://www.monolithic.com/
19
20
PRECEDENTS
14
15
PRECEDENTS
23
24
Brendon Carlin and fellow students at the Architectural Association Design Research Laboratory
PRECEDENTS
25
26
Kyle A. Sturgeon, Chris Holzwart and Kelly Raczkowski from the University of Michigan
Early conceptual iteration from Maya, produced
before material testing. As it turned out, the
relationship between latex and poured plaster
produced unexpected results quite different from
the idealised digital version.
PROCESS
14
15
PROCESS
06
07
08
05
04
09
03
29
10
30
01
02
FABRICATED
KIT OF PARTS
Invesitgating possible formwork assembly options suitable for the process.
WOODEN / METAL FRAMING
RIGID / NON FABRIC
CONNECTIONS
FABRIC FORM
PROCESS
31
32
TENSION CABLE
ARMATURES
FINISHED
FRAME WORK
Once we decided on using latex as the main formwork medium, we began exploring the potential of pouring a thick
solution of water and plaster into the membrane. These tests, realised with nDynamics and finished off in Rhino, consider
a play between bulging flexible material and creating a sense of constraint through more rigid components. They also take
into account the possible effect produced by stretching portions of the formwork with string or thin cables.
PROCESS
33
34
CASTING METHODS
+ CONSTRUCTION
Invesitgating possible formwork assembly options suitable for the process.
TYPICAL FABRIC
BEFORE CASTING
REACTION TO FORCES
BROUGHT ABOUT BY CONCRETE CAST
PROCESS
35
36
ADDITIONAL INTERFERENCE
INTRODUCED BY ADDING
TENSION ELEMENTS
Detail diagrams of connections between formwork, additional constraints and external frame.
PROCESS
37
38
Detail 01
PROCESS
39
40
Detail 02
COMPANIES FOR FABRIC FORM
CONSTRUCTION
DuraTex is a medium weight, commercial grade nonpermeable fabric. Developed as our most economical
polyester based fabric
UNITED STATES
Polyesters Strength, durability, cost, and stretch
Monolithic Dome Institute / Monolithic Constructors,
Inc. Website
Arro Design, VT - Sandy Lawton, Architect
(application of fabric form work to
concrete structures)
Ellendale Concrete Products, LLC, Doug Muckey
(application of fabric column forms in
developing countries)
Sure Safe Industries, San Diego - Art Angello
(application of fabric footing forms to HUD Code and
Modular Housing)
make polyester material the most widely used in
fabric structures. Polyesters that are laminated or
coated with PVC films are usually the least expensive
option for longer-term fabrications.
Polypropylene and Polyethylene are a common choice
for fabric formwork because they combine high
strength and extremely low cost, do not propagate
a tear, and concrete does not adhere to them,
eliminating the need for formwork release oils.
MODELING FABRIC FORM MEMBERS
CANADA
A successful fabric form member is derived based
Richard Fearn, Fab-Form Industries Ltd. (fabric formed
on textile parameters, (mainly bi-axial stiffness) and
footings, columns, walls)
loading conditions (concrete material weight). The
modeling process, calculating an equilibrium state
COMMON FABRIC TYPES
for a membrane, is based on the force densities
method, which starts the calculation from a pinpointed or cable network.
Teflon Coated Release Fabric is a light weight extra
smooth TFE coated glass fabric, it is non pours
To the right is a Diagram of frame/formwork
and durable.
arrangement for final pour
PROCESS
41
42
PROCESS
LATEX GLOVE
MEETS
PLASTER
Preliminary test using surgical gloves as formwork and a series of
plastic laser-cut constraints - details of which can be seen on p.50
PROCESS
45
46
PROCESS
47
48
Deformation Armatures
PROCESS
PROCESS
49
50
The next stage of testing involved a more complex
system. Because of the relative success of the glove
as formwork in the previous test, we decided to keep
it for the time being. However, whereas the first
iteration was limited to the individual glove shape,
the second introduced connections between gloves.
This simple addition brought about a considerable
layer of complexity and an idea of network that was
interesting, but much more difficult to control.
PROCESS
LATEX SYSTEM
MEETS
PLASTER
We introduced stiffer wooden elements to accentuate the tenstion of the formwork
PROCESS
53
54
The articulation of the connected gloves required multiple pours to avoid rupturing the
latex. This limit produced an interesting effect where the layering is visible.
PROCESS
55
56
Compositional example of the same process realised with nDynamics.
PROCESS
57
58
Updated constraint typologies suitable for laser cutting.
PROCESS
59
60
The third and final iteration sought to condense and
rationalise the discoveries from the previous tests.
Although the final object was difficult to extract
from the latex and eventually broke, at this stage
we gained a considerable amount of control over
the material and processes compared to the initial
output. The final formwork included a three arm
membrane to be poured upside-down - eventually,
it should have been interpreted as a dome-like
structure, also suitable for a modular production.
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
36 x36 Latex Sheets. Typologies of stitched constraints to control the flow of the plaster
LINE
STITCHING
CROSS POINT
STITCHING
RADIAL
STITCHING
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
TOP
FORM
BOTTOM
FORM
63
64
PERIMETER
STITCHING
INTERIOR
STITCHING
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
ATTACH TO
FRAME
65
66
Conceptual Renderings
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
67
68
Documenting various stages of the fabrication process.
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
69
70
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
71
72
Final pour within the formwork. It can be noted how the flat ends of the three legs would
be suitable for assembly in a modular fashion. Turning the object upside-down in the desired
orientation would create an unusual effect by means of inverting the visual effect of gravity. The
most bulged parts would e at the top and sit on thinner legs.
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
73
74
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
75
76
Details of the final pour after the extraction from the formwork. Even though the
overall composition was, our intent is reflected in many of the details that preserve the desired
characteristics. The main issue with the extraction turned out to be the excessive amount of
constraint stitching in the area between the legs and the dome, which made the connection too
thin. However the effect of bulging versus tapering can be understood on p78, while many of the
surface effects that were planned are visible on p.76, 77 and 79
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
77
78
FINAL CONSTRUCTION
79
80
