EQlib – Interactive form finding for Grasshopper
EQlib (like equilibrium) is a new Grasshopper plugin for interactive form finding. It supports discrete geometries e.g., lines and meshes (classic FEM) as well as smooth freeforms e.g., NURBS and SubDs* (IGA). Form finding can be done using force-density method, updated reference strategy (URS) or by using elastic elements. The general implementation allows the combination of different strategies within a single model. EQlib is implemented in pure C# which allows to interact with the simulation within Grasshopper.
The plugin is a side project of my research at the Chair of Strucutral Analysis. It aims to demonstrate how finite element method can be interactively integrated into CAD programs for form finding. *The project is work in progress.
Installation
EQlib can be installed using the Rhino package manager.
- Open Rhino
- Open the package manager with the command
_PackageManagerand search for “EQlib” - Install “EQlib” AND “EQlib-MKL”
- Restart Rhino
Now you can download and open the examples in Grasshopper.
