Statics and Stability of Bending-Optimized Double-Layer Grid Shell

Grid shell structures are optimal when considering their aesthetics and lightness, but their efficiency is highly reduced when their shape deviates from a pure membrane. Many contemporary architectures possess a freeform shape, conceived mostly on aesthetics and functional criteria. In these cases, finding an efficient grid shell often requires substantial shape modifications. This work addresses a new kind of double-layer structure that aims to preserve the desired shape design. The structural system comprises a quad-meshed grid shell aligned to the target shape and enriched with an additional reinforcement layer that adds bending stiffness. This additional layer, going inward and outward of the main surface, presents variable height and discontinuous elements based on the required bending strength. The obtained structural system differs from both grid shells, as these latter may be very deformable in this setup, and from classic double-layer structures (space frames), which are heavier and redundant. In this paper, we show how the presented system compares with grid shell and double-layer competitors in terms of statics and stability. We highlight the pros and cons based on a systematic comparative analysis run on selected freeform shapes.