CEM - Combinatorial Equilibrium Modelling

Development/ Research Team
Dr. Patrick Ole Ohlbrock (Professorship of Structural Design, TUM)
Prof. Dr. Pierluigi D'Acunto (Professorship of Structural Design, TUM)
 

Combinatorial Equilibrium Modelling (CEM) is a formative tool for structural design based on 3D graphics statics and graph theory that enables the interactive generation of mixed tension-compression equilibrium shapes. The CEM is intended to support the conceptual design of structures in static equilibrium across different atypological design spaces. Unlike other existing form-finding tools, in CEM the design parameters are expressed and controlled in absolute units (lengths and force magnitudes) and static equilibrium is not the result of an optimisation process but is satisfied a priori.
 

Open-source Plug-in
The CEM was implemented as open-source, platform-independent Python code and as a plug-in for the commercial CAD software McNeel Rhinoceros and Grasshopper. The plug-in contains three sub-components (CEM topology, CEM equilibrium and CEM visualisation). The tool is available on GitHub.