Hello everyone,
I’d like to share an university project and seek advice on modeling a structural system in Karamba. Our design utilizes the compressive strength of arches that are pre-shaped through active bending. The main structure consists of two columns and a beam, from which the arches are suspended using cables. While the system is somewhat similar to a truss, its static behavior differs: the pre-shaped arches attempt to contract due to their initial bending, generating a downward force that is absorbed by the cables. The arches are held in place by connectors that clamp them, ensuring stability. The arches themselves primarily take compressive loads.
We are relatively new to Karamba and have some uncertainties about whether we have accurately translated our system into the software, especially regarding the definition of joints. We encounter a specific issue: when we remove the bottom tension cable—which, according to our structural consultants, should be possible—rigid bodies appear in the model. Our current assumption is that this happens because the cables are no longer load-bearing due to the joint configuration at the top, but we are not sure if there could be another reason for this behavior?
We would also like to simulate the pre-shaping and calculate the resulting force from active bending in Karamba. Our goal is to test whether our system offers a static advantage in terms of achievable span compared to a conventional truss, thanks to the geometry advantage of the tensioned arches.
Are there any successfully simulated active bending files or projects of pre-shaped arches in Karamba?
and how can we best compare the static performance and achievable span of our system to a regular frame within Karamba?
thank you very much for your help!!
kind regards,
System cable suspended arches.gh (80.9 KB)
Structure axonometric drawing.pdf (2.8 MB)
Franziska