an appraisal of curvilinear forms in architecture with an emphasis on structural behaviour

138 Pages·2007·11.49 MB·English

AN APPRAISAL OF CURVILINEAR FORMS IN ARCHITECTURE WITH AN
EMPHASIS ON STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOUR: A CASE STUDY ON CHANNEL
TUNNEL RAILWAY TERMINAL AT WATERLOO

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO
THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES
OF
THE MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

BY

TUBA ÇINGI

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BUILDING SCIENCE
IN
ARCHITECTURE

JANUARY 2007
Approval of the Graduate School of Applied and Natural Sciences

Prof. Dr. Canan Özgen
Director

I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of
Master of Science.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selahattin Önür
Head of Department

This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully ade-
quate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali İhsan Ünay
Supervisor

Examining Committee Members

Dr. Erhan Karaesmen (METU, ARCH)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali İhsan Ünay (METU, ARCH)

Assist. Prof. Dr. Lale ÖZGENEL (METU, ARCH)

Assist. Prof. Dr. Ali Murat TANYER (METU, ARCH)

Assist. Prof. Dr. Saadet Toker (SDU, ARCH)
PLAGIARISM

I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and pre-
sented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as
required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and
results that are not original to this work.

Tuba Çıngı

iii
ABSTRACT

AN APPRAISAL OF CURVILINEAR FORMS IN ARCHITECTURE WITH AN
EMPHASIS ON STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOUR: A CASE STUDY ON CHANNEL
TUNNEL RAILWAY TERMINAL AT WATERLOO

Çıngı, Tuba
M.S., Department of Architecture
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali İhsan Ünay

January 2007, 122 pages

Architectural curvilinear form has been on the scene since the time of the first build-
ing shelters. Curve is the most common form in nature. This phenomenon inspired
human beings while they are building structures. Curvilinear form has developed
over centuries, via structural enhancements and aesthetic tenets. A symbolic meaning
is tailored to curvilinear structures such as use of domes in religious buildings. How-
ever, the difficulties in the construction process of these forms have been a challenge
for people throughout the history. Today, introduction of computer aided design and
manufacturing technologies into building industry encourages the use of curvilinear
forms in architecture.

This study intends to explore the relationship between structure and architectural
curvilinear form. The curvilinear form will be examined basically according to its
iv
structural potentials through its geometrical configuration. A computer model of the
roof of Channel Tunnel Railway Terminal at Waterloo is generated and with some
geometrical modifications for the configuration of the roof, new schemes of struc-
tures are obtained. An analytical comparison of structural behavior and efficiency is
made via the computer model of the roof and these modified configurations.

Keywords: Curve, curvilinear form, structural behavior, structural modeling, Water-
loo Train Terminal.

v
ÖZ

MİMARİDEKİ EĞRİSEL FORMLARIN YAPISAL DAVRANIŞ ÜZERİNDEN
BİR DEĞERLENDİRMESİ: WATERLOO TREN TERMİNALİ ÜZERİNE BİR
ÇALIŞMA

Çıngı, Tuba
Yüksek Lisans, Mimarlık Bölümü
Tez Yöneticisi: Doç. Dr. Ali İhsan Ünay

Ocak 2007, 122 sayfa

Eğrisel mimari formlar, ilk barınaklar zamanından bu yana görülmektedir. Eğri,
doğadaki en yaygın formdur. Bu olgu, insanoğlunu yapı inşa ederken etkilemiştir.
Eğrisel formlar yüzyıllar boyunca yapısal ilerlemeler ve estetik ilkeler doğrultusunda
gelişmiştir. Eğrisel yapılara, dini yapılarda kubbe kullanımında olduğu gibi sembolik
anlamlar yüklenmiştir. Fakat bu yapıların yapım sürecindeki zorluklar, tarih boyunca
insanlar için bir meydan okuma olmuştur. Günümüzde, bilgisayar destekli tasarım ve
üretim teknolojilerinin yapı endüstrisine girmesi, eğrisel formların mimaride
kullanımını teşvik etmektedir.

Bu çalışma, yapı ile mimari eğrisel formlar arasındaki ilişkiyi irdelemeyi
amaçlamaktadır. Eğrisel form, temel olarak, geometrik kurgusu aracılığıyla yapısal
potansiyellerine göre incelenecektir. Waterloo Channel Tunnel Railway Terminal
vi
yapısı çatısının sayısal modeli oluşturulacak ve çatı kurgusunda bazı geometrik
değişiklikler yoluyla yeni yapısal şemalar elde edilecektir. Yapısal davranış ve
verimliliğin analitik bir karşılaştırması, çatının ve bu yeni şemaların sayısal modeli
yoluyla yapılacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Eğri, eğrisel form, yapısal davranış, yapısal modelleme,
Waterloo Tren İstasyonu.

vii
To,
Güney Çıngı

viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my profound gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Ali İhsan Ünay for his
encouragement and guidance throughout the study.

I am also grateful to Dr. Erhan Karaesmen for his valuable suggestions and com-
ments during his courses, which inspired me throughout this study.

I would like to thank to dearest associate Başak Uçar for her continual encourage-
ment and patience and valuable friendship whenever I needed.

I give special thanks to my family; Mustafa Karpuzoğlu, Hacer Karpuzoğlu and Hilal
Gökgöz for their encouragement.

I would also thank to Fırat Çıngı for being very supportive during the study.

Finally, very special thanks to Güney Çıngı, for his invaluable support, endless pa-
tience and encouragement whenever I needed.

ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PLAGIARISM............................................................................................................iii
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................iv
ÖZ...............................................................................................................................vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..........................................................................................ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................x
LIST OF TABLES.....................................................................................................xii
LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................xiii
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................1
2. STRUCTURE AND FORM IN ARCHITECTURE....................................5
2.1 Structural Design.................................................................................7
2.2 The Ideals of Structural Design...........................................................8
2.3 Structure and Form............................................................................11
2.3.1 Simple Elemental Forms........................................................12
2.3.2 Curvilinear Forms...................................................................14
3. THE CONCEPT OF CURVILINEARITY IN STRUCTURING..............19
3.1 Curvatures.........................................................................................20
3.1.1 Rotational Surfaces.................................................................25
3.1.2 Translational Surfaces............................................................27
3.1.3 Ruled Surfaces........................................................................30
3.1.4 Surfaces of Special Type........................................................31
3.2 Discussion of Structural Advantages for Arches, Vaults and Domes32
x