Free-form funicular design
Topic description:
The shapes of cable and funicular arch structures are determined by the loads acting on them. At the same time, a rod structure other than a funicular line can be made torque-free by the use of additional structures. Calatrava’s Bridge in Seville is a nice example of how the bridge composed of straight segments becomes torque-free thanks to cables. In the framework of the student research, we investigate how a freely formed rod structure can be made torque-free by adding strings. Photograph: Mary Ann Sullivan.:
For whom it is recommended:
I recommend it to students who have passed statics. It requires basic programming.