Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from the University of Granada, Spain, have determined the most efficient ways to reinforce vaults and domes in architecture. The team compared how well various traditional and unconventional patterns of stiffening ribs enable a structure to withstand both evenly distributed and asymmetric loads.

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from the University of Granada, Spain, have determined the most efficient ways to reinforce vaults and domes in architecture. The team compared how well various traditional and unconventional patterns of stiffening ribs enable a structure to withstand both evenly distributed and asymmetric loads.

Published in Thin-Walled Structures, the study relied on numerical analysis and physical experiments, and led its authors to propose an unprecedented rib pattern inspired by dragonfly wings, which surprisingly outperformed every other layout examined in the paper.

Stiffening ribs have been used in vaults and domes since ancient Roman times to enable thinner structures for both engineering and aesthetic reasons. This solution conserves material and allows for more intricate designs, bigger column-free floor spans, and larger windows—like those in Gothic cathedrals.

Source:

Stiffening patterns for freeform composite shell structures

Highlights

• The paper investigates rib-based reinforcement strategies for improving structural integrity of form-found shell structures.

• The study introduces diverse stiffening patterns for shell structures, designed with geometric, biomimetic, and optimization-derived methodologies.

• The paper demonstrates through mechanical testing and numerical simulations that these patterns significantly improve stiffness and buckling resistance of form-found shells.

• The study validates that integrating form-finding with targeted rib-based reinforcements can lead to sustainable and structurally resilient solutions.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263823124004804?via%3Dihub