03/212-1 Volume and displacement indicators for an arch. structure

The discovery of the volume and displacement indicators by Ph. Samyn in August 1997 has lead to extensive research programs. The current research is funded for four years by the Brussels Region. (2000-2004)

Topics already and presently covered include:

• elements in pure compression,
• elements in pure traction,
• trusses, beams, arches and guyed structures for the horizontal span (see the detailed paper attached),
• masts,
• frames,
• shells of revolution (membranes).

The use of the indicators has since been successfully used to track the lightest possible structural answer for the following projects :

• Fina Europe service stations in Orival (01/365),
• Puente Henriquez in Copiapo de Chile (01/382),
• Totalfina service stations in Hellebecq (01/386),
• Leuven Train Station (01/389),
• Light windmill masts (01/387),
• Pedestrian footbridge across the railtracks in Leuven (01/415),
• Pedestrian bridge over the river Pô at Torino; invited competition (01/416),
• Bridge over the Albert canal at Vroenhoven-Riemst; invited competition (01/433).

It is, in general, used for any structure designed by the team since 1998.

As of 2002.12.31, it has lead to 2 doctoral thesis in civil engineering, a third in progress and 7 degree thesis (of which three under way).

Further information is available at Samyn and Partners office and in the main bibliography listed below.

Any structural or civil engineer interested by the subject is warmly welcome to contribute to this open theory.

The article below, presented at the 5th International Conference on Space structures, at Guildfort (Great-Britain) 19th-21st august 2002, sumarises the theory.

Download in pdf format : ” Proceeding of the 5th Conference on Space Structure, Guildfort, 19-21 August 2002, pp887-897 “

Full article available in PDF.

• Proceedings of the 1998 “IASS symposium : Lightweight Structures in Architecture, Engineering and Construction”, Sydney, Australia, October 5th – 9th 1998 (edited by Richard Hough and Robert Melchers), Ph. Samyn, P. Latteur, J. van Vooren : “Volume of structure, application to classical and harmonic structures”, pp 537-545; (Australia).
• Proceedings of the 1998 “IASS symposium : Lightweight Structures in Architecture, Engineering and Construction”, Sydney, Australia, October 5th – 9th 1998 (edited by Richard Hough and Robert Melchers), Ph. Samyn, P. Latteur : “Displacements of structures, applications to classical and harmonic structures”, pp 362-367; (Australia).
• Ph. SAMYN: “Etude comparée du volume et du déplacement de structures bidimensionnelles, sous charges verticales entre deux appuis, vers un outil d’évaluation et de prédimensionnement des structures”. Tome I: Mémoire, 175 p; Tome II: Annexes, 184 p; Tome III: Figures, 197 p; July 4th 1999. Tome IV: Epilogue, 33p + 14 figures December 1th 1999. Ph.D. thesis dissertation 2000.12.15. Faculty of applied Sciences, University of Liege; (Belgium).
• Proceedings of the 4th STRUCTURAL MORPHOLOGY CONFERENCE, Delft, University of Technology, Nederland; August 17th-19th 2000; Ph. Samyn: “The volume indicators for Michell-type structures and telescopic beams”; pp 305-308; (Netherlands).
• Proceedings of the 4th STRUCTURAL MORPHOLOGY CONFERENCE, Delft, University of Technology, Nederland; August 17th-19th 2000 ; Ph. Samyn, P. Latteur: “Volume and displacement indicators of isostatic structures. The case of the horizontal isostatic span, vertically loaded”, pp 294-304; (Netherlands).
• BULLETIN DE LA CLASSE DES SCIENCES, Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres & des Arts de Belgique, 6th series, Tome XI, 2000, 7-12, pp 293-311 Ph. Samyn et P. Latteur: “Indicateurs de volume et de déplacement d’une structure isostatique. Le cas de la travée horizontale, chargée verticalement”; (Belgium).
• Jan VANSTEIREGEM : Morfologische indicatoren : een toepassing op balken met variable sectie, Tui-en hangbruggen. Proefschrift ingediend tot het behalen van de graad van Burgerlijk Ingenieur-Architect. Academiejaar 2000-2001, onder de leiding van Prof Dr Ir Ph. Samyn en Prof Dr Ir P. De Wilde, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Faculteit Toegepaste Wetenschappen, Vakgroep Architectuur, 101 bladzijden en 89 blz bijlagen, mei 2001; (Belgium).
• Proceedings of the first INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HIGH PERFORMANCE STRUCTURES AND COMPOSITES 2002, Sevilla.España. 11-13 mars 2002, ..(11p).. ; Jan Vansteirteghem, . Ph. Samyn, Patrick De Wilde : “The use of morphogical indicators in the optimisation of structures” ; (Spain).
• Proceedings of the “IASS-LSCE 2002 International Symposium on Lightweight Structures in Civil Engineering” edited by Jan B. Obrebski, organized by the Polish Chapter of the IASS (International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures), Warsaw, Poland, 24-28 june 2002, pp734, 779-785; Ph. Samyn, Th. Vilquin, S. Lauwerijs “Study of guyed and suspended structures under a uniformly distributed load using Volume and Displacement indicators”; (Poland).
• PROCEEDINGS of the “IASS-LSCE 2002 International Symposium on Lightweight Structures in Civil Engineering” edited by Jan B. Obrebski, organized by the Polish Chapter of the IASS (International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures), Warsaw, Poland, 24-28 june 2002, pp180, 191-199; Ph. Samyn, E. Bodarwé, Th. Vilquin : “Shaping the Structure at Samyn and Partners”.
• Jelle ROELS : “Morfologische indicatoren toegepast op vakwerken met variabele bovenligger” . Proefschrift ingediend tot het behalen van de graad van Burgerlijke Ingenieur-Architect. Academiejaar 2001-2002, onder de leiding van Prof. Dr. Ir. Ph. Samyn en Prof. Dr. Ir. P. de Wilde, onder de begeleiding van Ir. Arch. J. van Steirteghem. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit Toegepaste Wetenschappen, vakgroep Architectuur; 54 bladzijden en 53 blz bijlagen, mei 2002; (Belgium).
• Chantal BUYL : ” Knikgedrag van een getuide Kolom”. Proefschrift ingediend tot het behalen van de graad van Burgerlijke Ingenieur-Architect. Aademiejaar 2001-2002, onder de leiding van Prof. Dr. Ir. P. De Wilde en Prof. Dr. Ir. Ph. Samyn, onder de begeleiding van Ir. Arch. I. van Steirteghem. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculteit toegepaste wetenschappen, vakgroep Architectuur; 81 bladzijden, mei 2002; (Belgium).