Partnership for Advancing Technologies in Housing: Rigidified Pneumatic Composites: Use of space technologies to build the next generation of American Homes

刚性气动复合材料：利用空间技术建造下一代美国家庭摘要刚性气动复合材料(RPC)结构被定义为气动展开的柔性薄膜结构。展开后，由于膜的化学或物理变化，这些结构变硬。由于这一变化，这种结构不再需要气动压力来保持其形状或提供结构稳定性。结果，获得了可用于构建各种三维结构的结构蒙皮。例如，这些系统包括高级嵌板系统、简支柱和梁以及复杂的桁架系统。目前与RPC技术相关的研究主要集中在空间结构设计方面。这类结构在实现负担得起的空间系统、坚固的部署、非常小的堆积体积和低重量方面的潜力得到越来越多空间结构设计界的认可。我们之前的研究表明，RPC技术在住宅建设中也可能非常有益。例如，RPC技术具有木质轻型框架的许多特点，因为这种结构成本低，不需要特殊工具，非常节省资源，并且在设计灵活性方面非常通用。此外，RPC技术非常适合低成本制造和简化技术交付。然而，在住宅建筑中的应用与空间应用有很大的不同；因此不可能直接置换。因此，本项目的研究和开发目标是研究刚性气动复合材料技术在住宅建设中的应用。该项目建议开发和演示一种设计方法，允许对刚性气动复合材料(RPC)系统与替代RPC设计和建筑系统进行合理比较。这笔赠款的长期目标是开发商业上可行的、具有环保意识的住房技术，利用最先进的材料和制造工艺。预计这项拟议的研究将导致开发出建造更安全、建造、运营和维护成本更低的房屋，并且与木材照明相比，使用的资源将显著减少。

Rigidified Pneumatic Composites: Use of space technologies to build the next generation of American HomesAbstractRigidified Pneumatic Composites (RPC) structures are defined as thin flexible membrane structures that are pneumatically deployed. After deployment, these structures harden due to chemical or physical change of the membrane. Because of this change, such structures no longer require pneumatic pressure to maintain their shape or provide structural stability. As a result, a structural skin is obtained that can be used to construct a variety of three-dimensional structures. These include for example advanced panel systems, simple columns and beams, and complex truss systems. Current research related to RPC technology is mainly focusing on space structure design. The potential of this class of structures for achieving affordable space systems, robust deployment, very small-stowed volume, and low weight is recognized by an increasing segment of the space structure design community. Our previous studies have indicated that RPC technology might also be extremely beneficial for use in residential construction. RPC technology for example possesses many of the characteristics of wood light framing in that such structures are low cost, require no special tools, are extremely resource efficient, and are very versatile in terms of design flexibility. In addition, RPC technology lends itself very well to low cost manufacturing and streamlined technology delivery. Applications in residential constructionhowever differ significantly from space applications; no direct displacement is therefore possible. The research and development objective of this project is therefore to investigate the application of rigidified pneumatic composite technology specifically for residential construction. The project proposes to develop and demonstrate a design methodology that allows for rational comparison of Rigidified Pneumatic Composite (RPC) systems with alternate RPC designs and building systems. The long-term objectives of this grant are to develop commercially viable and environmentally conscious housing technologies that utilize state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing processes. The proposed research is expected to lead to the development of houses that are safer to construct, less expensive to build, operate, and maintain, and will use significantly less resources relative to wood light.