A novel type of planar-to-spatial deployable structure

Researchers of TU Wien have developed an innovative method of erecting lightweight free-form structures: by means of an algorithm a planar grid of straight members is found to match a target free-form surface. This grid can approximate the concrete target free-form surface by deploying. 

The grid is initially flat and deforms three-dimensionally when it is deployed. The algorithm creates the layout of the grid so that it matches the shape of the surface. Finding the grids is quick (tenths of a second to seconds) and requires no complex numerical procedures.

TU News 24th August 2020: Angewandte Geometrie: Das Gitter mit Spezialbegabung, öffnet eine externe URL in einem neuen Fenster (German only)