Nonlinear force density method for the form-finding of minimal surface membrane structures

•Form-finding of minimal surface membranes is presented using nonlinear FDM.•Form-finding is performed using discrete computational models.•Triangular and quadrilateral weighted graphs are offered as computational models.•A hybrid fixed-point iteration and Newton–Raphson methods are used as a solver.

We develop an alternative approach for the form-finding of the minimal surface membranes (including cable membranes) using discrete models and nonlinear force density method. Two directed weighted graphs with 3 and 4-sided regional cycles, corresponding to triangular and quadrilateral finite element meshes are introduced as computational models for the form-finding problem. The triangular graph model is closely related to the triangular computational models available in the literature whilst the quadrilateral graph uses a novel averaging approach for the form-finding of membrane structures within the context of nonlinear force density method. The viability of the mentioned discrete models for form-finding are studied through two solution methods including a fixed-point iteration method and the Newton–Raphson method with backtracking. We suggest a hybrid version of these methods as an effective solution strategy. Examples of the formation of certain well-known minimal surfaces are presented whilst the results obtained are compared and contrasted with analytical solutions in order to verify the accuracy and viability of the suggested methods.