Affordable Construction of Topology Optimized Reinforced Concrete through Fabric Formwork
Journal of Building Engineering 2026
Mark Hellrich, Abhinit Sati, Jackson L. Jewett, Edward Chien, Emily Whiting, Josephine V. Carstensen
Abstract
Topology optimization can substantially reduce material demand in reinforced concrete structures, but its high geometric complexity poses challenges for fabrication and economic feasibility. To unlock deployment, a workflow is presented for the design and fabrication of beams using fabric formwork with automated pattern generation. A 3.0 m beam designed using a hybrid graphics-statics/topology optimization method is fabricated and experimentally evaluated for proof-of-concept, demonstrating that the structural response matches a nonlinear finite element prediction to within 2% for a service-level load. The effect of the formworks’ patch density on geometric fidelity is evaluated with 3D scans, showing that increasing seam density always improves local shape control but not necessarily global shape control. Compared with a prismatic beam designed for the same load, the topology optimized beam reduces the amount of concrete by 67.2% and steel by 52.0%. A cost comparison with conventional construction shows sustainability premiums of 16.0%–55.3% in the Global North and economic savings of 10.5%–20.3% in the Global South for the production of a single beam. One fabric configuration remains cost-competitive for a production cycle of 20 beams.
Bibtex
@article{HELLRICH2026117472,
title = {Affordable construction of topology optimized reinforced concrete through fabric formwork},
journal = {Journal of Building Engineering},
volume = {132},
pages = {117472},
year = {2026},
issn = {2352-7102},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2026.117472},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352710226022941},
author = {Mark Hellrich and Abhinit Sati and Jackson L. Jewett and Edward Chien and Emily Whiting and Josephine V. Carstensen}
}