Hello everyone,
I’m working on a research project involving bending-active plywood formworks for concrete shells. The form emerges through manual tensioning applied to segmented plywood frames. Each segment (labeled A, B, C) is connected via overlays at the top, bottom, and corners. These overlays act like soft reinforcements
At full scale test, I noticed:
-Shorter segments resist bending more.
-As a result, asymmetric curvature appears even when boundary conditions are symmetric.
I’d like to simulate this behavior in Grasshopper. My main goal is to create a parametric model where I can:
-Apply tension at opposite ends.
-Simulate plywood bending with adjustable stiffness per segment.
-Model overlays as partial constraints (springs? hinges?).
-See how segmentation logic affects final geometry.
I’ve tried some structural analysis as follows to the planar state of the plywood:
Has anyone done something similar? Bending plywood + joints + sequential tensioning? Any idea would be appreciated
- Modeling overlay behavior effectively.
- Managing different stiffness values per segment.
- Whether I should simplify segments into beam elements or model the full surface.
Thanks in advance! I can share more drawings images if needed!
Best,
Ertunç
