Coreless Winding and Assembled Core – Journal Article
2016
La Magna R., Waimer F., Knippers J.
Coreless Winding and Assembled Core –
Novel fabrication approaches for FRP based
components in building construction.
Construction and Building Materials, 127/2016, 1009-1016,
DOI:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.01.015
In the current paper the authors present a series of case studies which expose innovative use of FRPs in engineering and architecture. A particular focus is set on the development of novel fabrication processes specifically devised for the projects, namely the Coreless Winding and the Assembled Core methods. The Assembled Core method stems from ongoing research in the field of FRPs production technology. This approach primarily focuses on the optimisation of the core geometry, allowing to produce complex components from a single winding core, thus reducing material waste and enhancing the efficiency of the fabrication process. After production the segments are extracted from the original core geometry and reassembled into the whole component, later serving as mould for concreting and eventually as reinforcement for the structure. The fabrication process was applied to the construction of a concrete bench, displaying the potential and capacities of this method. The second manufacturing process presented as part of the current research, the Coreless Winding technique, offers an alternative to classical filament winding by replacing the positive mould with a linear steel frame, which provides the armature onto which the resin-soaked fibres are tensioned. Coreless Winding was successfully implemented in the production of a full-scale architectural prototype, an entirely carbon and glass fibre based monocoque shell. The second case study demonstrates the use of FRP based components for the production of a large scale structure. The Coreless Winding technique is adapted to the production of small size elements, which later serve as basic components for the assembly of a modular and double layer structure, allowing a larger span and the optimal transfer of global bending moments. The requirement of fabrication flexibility is resolved by adopting a specific robotic fabrication setup and an adaptive winding frame. Along with the planning of these alternative winding techniques, specific computational tools had to be developed to accurately simulate the fabrication processes and the mechanical response of the final structures.
