C0. Principles
Form finding 101
Form finding - originally coined in the the latter half of the 20th century as 'Formfindung' in German - is the methodology for finding the equilibrium geometry for a given set of external loads, internal forces, and boundary conditions. Typically it is assumed that the topology (connectivity) of the structural elements is defined, and the form-finding algorithms solve for the unknown nodal (XYZ) coordinates.
Form finding is often applied in the context of axial-force only structures, and more narrowly defined tension-only or compression-only structures. This is useful for creating structures that are highly efficient under permanent loading conditions - self-weight and prestress - since bending moments are not required for the equilibrium of the structure.
However, form-finding methods can also include moment and shear contributions, think for example of bending-active gridshells where all 6 degrees of freedom can be included in the algorithms (per element: 1 normal force, 2 shear forces, 2 bending moments, and 1 torsional moment).
In this workshop, form finding principles will be explained through the assumption of axial-only forces.
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