Compression‑only precast block construction system using BIM and custom interoperability tools for collaboration between engineers and architects

Abstract

Currently, the construction industry contributes 8% per year to greenhouse gas emissions which is more than 3 times that of the aviation industry. Steel corrosion affects the durability of reinforced concrete structures, reduces their service life, and increases the lifecycle maintenance costs. For these reasons, this study proposes collaborative BIM‑based workflows and design for a new sustainable compression‑only structural block construction system. Computational and parametric design were used to create a compression‑only shell structural shape through form‑finding in Rhinoceros/Grasshopper 3D. Once the overall structural shape was obtained, it was thickened and tessellated thereby defining its discrete elements. The construction sequence of precast elements was implemented automatically with a cellular automata algorithm. Then, a custom tool was created that linked the structural shape generated to the structural analysis software DIANA and automated the phased analysis which incorporated the construction sequencing. Thereafter, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to evaluate the structural behaviour. Additionally, a collaborative workflow was set up such that engineers and architects can work together to create the most optimal structural shape in a BIM environment mediated through computational design tools. Through a case study to evaluate the framework, results show that with the proposed workflows, an infinite number of arbitrary compression‑only structural shapes can be defined using form‑finding principles. Although, there were tensile stresses present during the phased construction they can be further minimised with the use of minimal construction supports.