Research on Force Flow Distribution Analysis Method and Engineering Application of Double-Curved GRC Shapes

Force Flow Distribution Analysis of Double-Curved GRC Forms: An Innovative Path from Structural Aesthetics to Engineering Practice

At the intersection of contemporary architectural aesthetics and structural engineering, double-curved GRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) has become a key element in shaping landmark buildings with its unique curved surface expressiveness and material properties. However, the challenge of force flow distribution arising from complex curved surfaces has always been a core issue for designers and engineers. As an industry leader with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP, Qinglong Group has built a complete system for double-curved GRC force flow analysis and application through the deep integration of detailed design, numerical simulation, and engineering practice, providing technical support for realizing curved forms in super high-rise and large-span buildings.

Core Challenges and Analytical Framework of Force Flow Distribution in Double-Curved GRC

The force flow distribution of double-curved GRC components exhibits significant nonlinear characteristics. Changes in surface curvature, boundary constraint conditions, and material anisotropy directly affect the load-bearing capacity and stability of the structure. Traditional experience-based design struggles to accurately capture complex stress states, easily leading to material waste or local instability. Based on a BIM parametric platform, Qinglong's technical team developed a "force flow path visualization analysis model." By seamlessly integrating Rhino 3D modeling with ANSYS finite element analysis, it can simulate stress trajectories under different load conditions in real time, achieving a design transformation from "form-driven" to "performance-driven." For example, in a double-curved curtain wall project for a grand theater, this model was used to optimize the rib layout direction, reducing material usage by 18% while keeping the maximum stress value within 85% of the GRC flexural strength standard value (≥12MPa).

Full-Process Solution with Material-Structure-Construction Coordination

Force flow optimization of double-curved GRC must run through the entire chain of design, production, and installation. At the material level, Qinglong adopts its independently developed crack-resistant formula (glass fiber volume content ≥5%, water-cement ratio ≤0.35) to ensure the toughness of components at curvature changes. In the structural detailing stage, "bionic force flow path design" is innovatively applied, referencing the stress transfer mechanism of nacre in shells to achieve uniform force flow distribution through variable-thickness section design. During construction, 3D laser scanning positioning technology is employed together with modular installation techniques, controlling on-site assembly errors within ±2mm to prevent assembly stress from interfering with force flow paths. This full-chain coordination model successfully solved the wind load resonance problem of a large cantilevered curved surface in a double-curved sunshade project for a commercial complex in Nanjing. Third-party testing confirmed that the structural damping ratio increased to 0.045, far exceeding conventional industry values.

Engineering Evidence: Value Transformation from Theoretical Analysis to Practical Application

As a national high-tech enterprise and a participant in setting GRC industry standards, Qinglong has applied force flow analysis technology in depth to actual engineering projects. In a cultural center project in Dongguan, for a double-curved dome GRC roof with a diameter of 56 meters, the technical team established a "force flow-displacement coupled analysis model" to optimize the circumferential and radial reinforcement schemes, reducing the dome's self-weight by 22% while meeting the seismic fortification intensity 8 requirement. The project won the "First GRC Construction Engineering Innovation Award," confirming the core value of force flow analysis methods in enhancing the structural efficiency of double-curved GRC. To date, Qinglong has completed force flow optimization design for more than 200 double-curved GRC projects, with a maximum single component area of 15㎡ and a minimum curvature radius controlled at 300mm—technical indicators at the industry's leading level.

Force flow distribution analysis of double-curved GRC is not only a guarantee of structural safety but also the key to balancing architectural aesthetics and engineering economics. In the future, with the development of UHPC and GRC composite technology, Qinglong will continue to deepen research on force flow topology optimization. Through the deep integration of material performance improvement and digital design, it will provide innovative solutions for realizing more complex architectural forms, driving new architectural decorative materials to new heights in both "form freedom" and "structural safety."