Spatial to kinematically determined structural transformations

To understand the building design process and to help designers involved, the idea of a research engine has been developed: In this engine cyclic transformations take place between spatial and structural building designs. With this engine, a design process can be studied closely and subjected to improvement, and designers can be supported. To develop the engine, in this paper a part of it is studied, namely the transformation from spatial to structural design, which can be divided into four sub transformations: (1) from spatial design to structural topology; (2) from structural topology to mechanical model; (3) from mechanical model to finite element model; (4) from finite element model to design recommendations. For the first sub transformation, two different techniques are presented: Spatial–Structural Transformation Rules and Element Selection. For the second sub transformation, also two techniques are presented: Element Approach and System Approach. Where possible, data models in EXPRESS and process models in IDEF0 are used. For the third and fourth sub transformation, new procedures have been developed using data models in EXPRESS. To test the data and process models for all four sub transformations, a simplified two-storey building, derived from a real six-storey apartment building, is used as case study. It can be concluded that the developed sub transformations function well, related to their application in the research engine, and that their development raises new research questions that have to be solved in the near future.