IceFormwork for Cast HPFRC Elements Process-Oriented Design of a Light-Weight High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (HPFRC) Rain-Screen Facade

• The following paper introduces a design implementation of an innovative fabrication method that aims at enabling an environmental and automated production of geometrically challenging cast concrete elements. The fabrication method is based on the use of ice as the molding material for cast concrete. Empirical testing of ice CNC-processing, and a concrete mix capable of hardening at subzero temperatures was undertaken during previous research stages. The current paper illustrates a practical application of ice formwork. A facade rain screen has been developed using algorithmic modeling to illustrate a common case in which a non-repetitive geometrical pattern requires individual formwork to be produced for each element. Existing industrial methods capable of delivering such a project for formidable costs are based on CNC-processed expanded polystyrene (EPS), wood-based materials, or industrial wax formwork. These materials have been found to be either difficult to recycle, expensive, insufficiently strong, energy-or labor-intensive to produce. Preliminary evaluation has shown that ice, used in their place, facilitates a much cleaner, economic, and an even more energy-efficient process. Moreover, a very gentle demolding process through ice-thawing eliminates any shock stresses exposed on newly cast concrete and provides optimal curing conditions. As a result, the thickness of facade elements can be reduced while still fulfilling all structural requirements. 

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Husbyggnad (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Building Technologies (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Infrastrukturteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Infrastructure Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Computer aided design

Computer architecture

Concrete industry

Concrete mixtures

Concrete products

Energy efficiency

Facades

Hardening

High performance concrete

Ice

Rain

Automated productions

Design implementation

Energy-efficient process

Expanded polystyrene

High performance fiber reinforced concrete

Structural requirements

Sub-zero temperatures

Wood-based materials

Fiber reinforced concrete

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)