Functionalising buckling for structural morphing in kinetic façades: Concepts, strategies and applications

Functional structures can be designed to adapt to changing external environmental conditions by suitable shape morphing. In recent years, the instability of structural components such as the buckling of thin plate elements has emerged as a viable solution for structural shape morphing, leading to increasing research attention. In this context, the intrinsic features of buckling including the high rate of motion and sudden release of energy are harnessed for structural functionality. The attention to buckling is motivated by the ubiquitous requirement in the construction industry to design buildings with increasingly low energy consumption. The well-known concept of zero energy buildings utilises adaptive shading and natural ventilation as passive energy systems, for which shape morphing by buckling is particularly effective. Façades, being the primary constituent of the building envelope, are crucially important for enhancing energy efficiency and indoor comfort. In this study, we explore the potential of utilising structural instability to develop shape morphing mechanisms that can be integrated into building facades for desired functionality. A series of novel concept ideas and systems are proposed in which the instability of structural elements is configured to produce the desired function. The proposed ideas are subsequently simulated using finite element analyses to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of utilising buckling as a reliable mechanism in kinetic façade control. It is shown that the systems can be integrated into autonomous building modules by using sensor-initiated smart materials such as shape memory alloys for actuation.