Explorations in Geodesic Forms

by Dimitra Tzourmakliotou,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Spatial, Lattice and Tension Structures

Abstract:

Geodesic forms constitute an important family of structural systems. The objective of the paper is to show how the concepts of a mathematical tool called formex algebra and its programming language Formian can be used to represent and generate geodesic configurations with ease and elegance. The data generation of geodesic forms is solved in two stages. Firstly, a function called the 'polyhedron function' is used to generate a configuration modelled on a polyhedron. The resulting configuration is referred to as a 'polyhedric configuration'. The polyhedron function constitutes the kernel of the problem handling strategy for the data generation of geodesic forms. In the next stage, a transformation referred to as the 'tractation retronorm' is employed to obtain the projection of the polyhedric configuration on the required surface(s). The function allows the choice of different types of surfaces such as sphere, ellipsoid and hyperbolic paraboloid. Also, different types of projections may be employed such as central, axial, and parallel.

Subject Headings: Geodetic surveys | Computer languages | Building design | Structural systems | Project management | Computer programming | Structural members

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