AsianScientist (Oct. 15, 2014) – A research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed Cloud ArchTM, an innovative, ultra-light architecture that could revolutionize the way large open public spaces, such as airports, concert halls and factories are built.
This patent-pending technology is jointly developed by a research team led by Assistant Professor Shinya Okuda and Professor Tan Kiang Hwee from NUS, in collaboration with structural engineering consultancy firm Web Structures.
Okuda, who is from the NUS Department of Architecture, said, “The shed is one of the most primitive forms of architecture. We are interested in creating column-free space in a way that saves materials and time, by using ultra lightweight materials.”
“We decided to use Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, a widely used packaging material. More than 95 percent of this material is air, and its composite can be fire-resistant. This novel technology has been granted a provisional US patent. As the design looks like a floating cloud, we called it Cloud ArchTM,” added Okuda.
By applying digital fabrication technology on the EPS foam, the team could shape complex forms in a fast and cost-efficient manner. As the material is extremely lightweight, it could help achieve significant savings in terms transportation cost as well as the time taken to set up and dismantle the structures.
Okuda and team hope that reduce Cloud ArchTM technology will reduce construction costs by one-third and construction time by half, compared to conventional construction materials, such as concrete.
Dr. Hossein Rezai, Director of Web Structures, which has been conducting structural simulations of the Cloud Arch commented, “A very encouraging fact is that, we have barely needed to increase the EPS composite thickness for the longer spans, but only to reinforce its composite strength. This implies that Cloud Arch’s advantageous ultra-lightweight, will be further realized when the target spans get longer.”
The research team’s next step will be to develop a 24-metre span factory roofing prototype. This project is supported by the NUS-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation (I3) Centre, which was set up jointly by NUS and JTC Corporation in 2011 to promote the development of innovative and sustainable industrial infrastructure solutions in Singapore. Other possible applications of the technology include developing longer spans for airplane hangars.
On his vision for future applications of Cloud ArchTM, Okuda said, “20th century visionary R. Buckminster Fuller once envisioned his invention Geodesic dome to cover three km radius over the Manhattan in the 1960s for the energy efficient built environment. We hope that the Cloud ArchTM could make such a great impact on the sustainable built environment in the 21st Century.”
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Source: National University of Singapore.
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