Parametric Timber Detailing A parametric toolkit customized for detailing fabrication-ready timber structures

Abstract

This thesis develops a parametric toolkit for visual programming that is customised for detailing fabrication-ready timber structures.

Digital fabrication increases the domain of what is rational to manufacture, and algorithm aided design expands the domain of what is rational to design. Visual programming has made both technologies more accessible.

However, digital fabrication and algorithmic aided design remain technically demanding. By reviewing existing methods and tools related to parametric timber detailing, two main challenges are identified and chosen for further investigation. The first challenge concerns parametric detailing preparation in general and joint type identification in particular. The second challenge concerns parametric timber and the transfer from a parametric model to digital fabrication.

Within the framework of this thesis a parametric toolkit is developed for visual programming and customised for detailing fabrication-ready timber structures. The toolkit aims to reduce the time and algorithmic knowledge that are required to prepare a model for timber detailing and to transfer a detailed timber structure to digital fabrication. The toolkit is named Reindeer and is an open source plugin for Grasshopper3D

The thesis has special focus on two tools within the toolkit: JointSearch is an approach that enables the user to define the solution space of a joint type via one or multiple search criteria. TimberProcessingTools is an approach that enables the user to apply tools that mimic the physical processing of timber structures. The tool outputs a BTLx file, which is readable by most manufacturers.

The toolkit is developed by designing, manufacturing and building a series of case structures. The investigation chapter includes a presentation of Reindeer and the case structures. Three papers that discuss the framework, JointSearch and TimberProcessingTools are summarised.

The contribution of this thesis is two-fold. The main contribution this thesis makes to the field of practitioners is that the toolkit is open source and makes partly existing methods more accessible. The main academic contribution this thesis makes to the field of parametric detailing is the JointSearch methodology. First, JointSearch is independent of the global topology and reduces the complexity of a parametric model. Second, the method has proven to be both efficient, flexible and precise while filtering. Last, the method is independent of materials and applications.

By conducting this study, I am convinced that AAD and digital fabrication is a key to making our building industry sustainable while maintaining the flexibility of design. Reindeer is a small step towards further democratising the use of AAD and digital fabrication while designing and detailing timber structures.