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1 Block and Ochsendorf (2007); Block (2009)

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA)1 used in form finding

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• Form Diagram G

1 Block 2009

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA)1 – Components

1 Block 2009

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• Form Diagram G

• Force Diagram G*

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA)1 – Components

1 Block 2009

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• Form Diagram G

• Force Diagram G*

• Thrust Network G

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA)1 – Components

1 Block 2009

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Equilibrium of an internal node in G

is represented by a closed force

polygon in G*.

The length of the reciprocal edges

in G* (multiplied with the scale

factor z ) is equal to the magnitude

of the horizontal force components

in the corresponding edges in G.

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA)1 – Reciprocal relationship

1 Block 2009

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Step 1 - Solving horizontal equilibrium:

The in-plane equilibrium of G represents

the horizontal equilibrium of G,

independently of the applied (vertical)

loads.

Step 2 - Solving vertical equilibrium:

A unique thrust network G in

equilibrium can be found for a given in-

plane horizontal equilibrium, the given

loading and support vertices.

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA)1 – Two step approach

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Requirements for a new solving method:

• Interactive control

• Bidirectional control

• Robust solving

• Integration of constraints

• Visualisation of solving procedure

FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA) – exploring indeterminacy

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FundamentalsThrust Network Analysis (TNA) – exploring indeterminacy

Example of a simple modification of

vertex vj* in G*.

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Unidirectional:

Modifying the force diagram G*

→ automatic adjustment of the form diagram G using g = 0

Iterative solving methodsInteractive, bidirectional control

G*G G

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Iterative solving methodsInteractive, bidirectional control

Unidirectional:

Modifying the force diagram G*

→ automatic adjustment of the form diagram G using g = 0

G*G G

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Unidirectional:

Modifying the form diagram G

→ automatic adjustment of the force diagram G* using g = 1

Iterative solving methodsInteractive, bidirectional control

G*G G

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Iterative solving methodsInteractive, bidirectional control

Bidirectional:

Modifying the form diagram G

→ automatic adjustment of the form diagram G and

the force diagram G* using g = 0.5

G*G G

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What is RhinoVAULT?Digital tool implementation of TNA

• TNA form-finding tool developed as a plugin for Rhino 3D

• Freely available as full version (1.0) since September 2013

• Downloaded by more than 30.000 people (unique downloads before Feb 2019)

• Awarded 1st prize in the category 'Structure / Physics Formation' at ALGODeQ 2014

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RhinoVAULT in academia and practiceResults of the user survey

• Online survey – announced on various blogs and via email newsletter

• 62 completed survey questionnaires were collected

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Bricktopia, Barcelona by Map13 (2013)

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Skilledin Office, Rotterdam by Studio RAP (2015)

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VULCAN, Beijing by Laboratory for Creative Design (LCD) (2015)

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Philip F. Yuan et al. (2016)

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RhinoVAULT workflowDesign workflow

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RhinoVAULT workflowDesign workflow and toolbar

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RhinoVAULT implementationDigital tool implementation

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RhinoVAULT installationInstallation instructions

http://www.block.arch.ethz.ch/brg/tools/rhinovault

RhinoVAULT unzip the package, save the RhinoVAULT folder (at least the files RhinoVAULT_Interface.rhp

and RhinoVAULT_Solver.rhp and the toolbar RhinoVAULT.rui) to your hard disk.

E.g.: C:\Program Files (x86)\Rhinoceros 5.0\Plug-ins\RhinoVAULT\

Individually drag and drop the plug-in files RhinoVAULT_Interface.rhp, RhinoVAULT_Solver.rhp and the

toolbar file RhinoVAULT.rui from the folder you just created to a new session of Rhino.

The command _rvFormTri will demand at least IronPython 2.7.3. (or 2.7.4, or 2.7.5) installed on your

system Please install it (http://ironpython.net/download/) and add the path (for me this is C:\Program

Files (x86)\IronPython 2.7) to your Module Search Paths and move it to the top of the list.

-> open IronPython Editor (_EditPythonScript) -> Tools -> Options -> restart Rhino