Pattern Kerfing for Responsive Wooden Surfaces: A formal approach to produce flexible panels with acoustic performance
The aim of this thesis is to present the outputs of a project in which pattern kerfing techniques are explored for producing responsive freeform panels out of wooden plates. Relevant research such as the ones presented by Ivanisevic (2014) Zarrinmehr et al. (2017) and Ohshima et al. (2013) have shown that it is possible to bend a wooden plate by carving patterns on one or two sides of it. By this means, the plate is able to perform both single and double curved surfaces depending on the pattern design. The main objective of this research is to find out the relationships between the geometric parameters of the pattern and the bending capabilities of the plate and to put forward a formalized method for the design and fabrication of three dimensional, freeform and responsive surfaces. These findings lead to complex pattern designs which enable the plates to perform three dimensional and freeform curved surfaces. Moreover, these panels can be actuated as responsive building components which answer the changing performance requirements in a space. In this research, acoustic performance is addressed by designing panels which respond to the changing acoustic needs of a lecture room. The applied research methods on the flexibility involve experiments with physical models and a simulation in which the effect of the geometric parameters of the pattern on the bending capabilities are further elaborated. The acoustic performance is measured and calculated by means of multiple acoustic measurements. This research outputs three main items. The first one is a parametric definition which was used to design pattern variations in order to achieve various three dimensional freeform surfaces produced by pattern kerfing out of wooden plates. This definition is applicable in different design problems in which the design of such surfaces is needed. The second output is a series of prototypes which are produced using laser cutting and CNC milling in order to test the actual bending capabilities of the produced panels and to measure the acoustic performance based on the defined parameters related to the geometry and composition of the panels. The last output is a case study in which the developed design and fabrication techniques are demonstrated for designing a teaching environment with better acoustic performance.