Collaborative Research: Rethinking the Role of Building Envelopes with Smart Morphing Facades

该项目的目标是将建筑立面从传统的建筑和功能作用的被动结构元件转变为适应性强的工程系统，该系统可以（1）保护建筑物免受极端风事件的影响，（2）减少安全问题和结构成本，（3）最终有助于可持续的节能解决方案。传统上，固定结构（例如高层建筑）是根据对平均风流条件的估计而设计成特定形状的。这种基于外观的设计可能会导致形状不是最有效的，特别是在风的强度和方向变得可变的情况下。为了解决结构性能问题，并提高建筑物使用者的安全性和舒适性，该项目将开发创新的智能变形立面模块，积极修改建筑物？的空气动力学形状，以减轻流引起的振动，在中度到大风。这项技术有可能与不断发展的建筑物自适应立面发电行业相结合，提供额外的功能和可持续性效益。研究生和本科生都将参与这个研究项目，招聘将特别针对在工程领域代表性不足的学生。该项目还将通过本科课程和STEM外展到代表性不足和服务不足的K-12人口中提出新的教育工程活动。这项研究的结果将产生新一代可持续和弹性的多功能变形立面模块。这些模块具有切实的安全性和经济效益，将改变变形控制系统的设计，以减轻危害。本项目将创造以下方面的基础知识：（1）高层建筑动力学建模，考虑结构分析中控制系统的反馈回路，以及综合建筑和活动立面的动态行为评估;（2）根据通过压力、加速度计和速度传感器的观测来诊断系统特性，其中传感器网络将被用于表征和重建作用在建筑物上的流动诱导力的近实时表示;以及（3）控制系统的空气动力学形状以获得期望的动态行为。这项研究有望通过综合计算和实验分析推进大规模变形表面的气动优化和主动控制系统。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The goal of this project is to transform building facades from passive structural elements serving their conventional architectural and functional roles to an adaptable engineered system that can (1) protect a building against extreme wind events, (2) reduce safety concerns and structural costs, and (3) eventually contribute to a sustainable solution for energy saving. Traditionally, fixed structures, such as tall buildings, have been designed with a specific shape based on estimates of average wind flow conditions. This appearance-based design can result in shapes that are not the most effective, especially where the wind becomes variable in intensity and direction. To address structural performance issues and achieve an improved safety and comfort for building occupants, this project will develop innovative smart, morphing facade modules that actively modify the building?s aerodynamic shape to alleviate flow-induced vibrations during moderate to high winds. This technology has the potential to be integrated with the growing industry of adaptive facades for energy generation in buildings, providing additional functionality and sustainability benefits. Both graduate and undergraduate students will become involved in this research project, with recruitment that will particularly target students who are underrepresented in engineering fields. The project will also result in new educational engineering activities presented through undergraduate coursework and in STEM outreach to underrepresented and underserved K-12 populations. The outcome of this research will result in a new generation of multifunctional morphing facade modules that are sustainable and resilient. Such modules, which have tangible safety and economic benefits, will transform the design of morphing control systems for hazard mitigation purposes. This project will create fundamental knowledge in (1) modeling of the dynamics of tall buildings, taking into consideration the feedback loops for control systems in structural analysis, as well as assessment of the dynamic behavior of the integrated building and active facade; (2) diagnostics of the system properties from observations through pressure, accelerometer, and velocity sensors, where a network of sensors will be used to characterize and reconstruct a near-real-time representation of flow-induced forces acting on the building; and (3) control of the aerodynamic shape of the system to obtain a desired dynamic behavior. This research is expected to advance aerodynamic optimization and active control systems for large-scale morphing surfaces through integrated computational and experimental analyses.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.