FlectoCurve

The research demonstrator FlectoCurve of the A03 BioElast project shows the potential of transferring plant movement principles into technical components. Analogous to turgor pressure/veins in a plant/leaf, pneumatic actuators were integrated into two-dimensional fiber-reinforced composite components. The fiber-reinforced composite components consist of elastomer, glass fiber-reinforced plastic and a TPU coating. The actuator is pressed asymmetrically into the layer structure so that a one-sided curvature occurs when air pressure is applied.

It turns out that the stiffness of the component can be adjusted not only by means of the laminate setup, but also by means of the cushion geometry. A curved cushion, for example, also curves the surface of the element and thus creates structural stiffness in the component. The research demonstrator thus meets the requirements for façade shading components in terms of wind stability.

Project Team
ITKE Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design
University of Stuttgart
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jan Knippers

ITFT Institute for Textile and Fiber Technologies
University of Stuttgart
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Götz T. Gresser

PBG Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg
University of Freiburg
Dr. rer. nat. Olga Speck

Design Development 
Mona Mühlich, Axel Körner

Scientific Development
Larissa Born, Mona Mühlich, Axel Körner

Funding
The research of the project was funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg within the project Bio-inspired Elastic Material Systems and Composite Components for Sustainable Construction in the 21st Century (BioElast A03). In addition, the work was partially supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under the German Excellence Strategy EXC 2120/1-390831618.