A guided bending strategy for the geometric and structural design of an elastically bent geodesic timber column
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Large elastic deformations provide an alternative form-giving strategy for complex double-curved timber structures, which are otherwise difficult to realize without extensive machining, gluing, or material-intensive milling. Geodesic curve networks offer particularly advantageous geometric properties for such applications, as they allow initially straight laths to be bent and stacked efficiently while remaining tangent to the design surface. This property helps overcome the structural limitations typically imposed by the material strength and bending curvature. This research presents the fundamental geometric principles necessary for accurately modeling geodesic grid structures and outlines the key design constraints associated with their implementation. It further introduces ongoing work on guided bending, an inverse-design approach that employs tailored incisions to weaken the cross section and steer the deformation of a lath into a prescribed spatial configuration. The presented project serves as a demonstrator for these methods. The paper focuses in particular on the geometric and structural development of its elastically bent geodesic timber column, a primary load-bearing element composed of mechanically laminated lamellae formed through guided elastic deformation. The project illustrates the structural viability of elastically bent compound beam assemblies and shows how guided bending can significantly broaden the feasible design space for such systems.
Source: Frontiers in Built Environment
Institution: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Architecture
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,353
OpenAlex ID: W7222717672