Topology Optimization of a Building Envelope

A lightweight envelope system can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from construction. Lightweight building envelopes can take less time to install, require less scaffolding, use less energy for transportation, and reduce the overall weight of the building, resulting in a lighter foundation. This project investigated Topology Optimization as a design method that, in combination with 3D printing, allows for the manufacturing of materially efficient, geometrically complex building envelopes. The project focused on production of a lightweight, yet strong building envelope optimized for wind and gravity loads. This promotes a shift from planar cladding to systems which integrate form as both membrane and structure. Topology optimization strategies concentrate material in areas where structural loads are the highest, and this often results in bone-like, branching structures which produce discrete “islands” of material when sliced into layers for the printing process. One of the known challenges in large scale fused pellet manufacturing (FPM) is the difficulty of precisely starting and stopping the extrusion process. This project makes significant advances in this area through the development of tool-path strategies as well as hardware control paradigms which improve the fidelity of the final printed part.

Bounding box dimensions of part 1: approx. 2440 by 620 by 50 mm (height X width X depth), 10 mm mm thickness of the thin shell

Bounding dimensions of part 2: approx. 2440 by 1220 by 50 mm (height X width X depth), 10 mm mm thickness of the thin shell

Material: thermoplastic PETG

Volume of Material: 35.4 litter

Panel Weight: 38.2 Kg

Printing time: 44 for part one  and 23 hours for part two

Number of mesh faces: 100,000 

Toolpath kilometer in panel: 8,848 meters