Analysis of Mold Splitting Principles and Key Technical Points for Complex GRC Shapes

A Perfect Balance Between Form and Structure: A Practical Guide to Mold Splitting Technology for Complex GRC Components

In the intersecting realm of contemporary architectural aesthetics and engineering technology, GRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete), with its lightweight, high-strength and flexible-forming characteristics, has become the core material for shaping complex building envelopes. However, when designers' creativity breaks through conventional geometric forms, the mold splitting process becomes the key factor determining a project's success or failure. As an industry practitioner with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP, Qinglong Group has accumulated a systematic mold splitting technology framework through thousands of landmark projects. From principle establishment to technical implementation, this article analyzes the mold splitting wisdom behind complex GRC forms.

1. The Underlying Logic of Mold Splitting Design: Aesthetic Realization Based on Structural Safety

Mold splitting for complex GRC forms is by no means a simple “block cutting” game, but a comprehensive consideration of material properties, mechanical performance and construction feasibility. Qinglong's technical team always follows three principles at the detailed design stage: first, “stress flow priority” — using BIM simulation to analyze the key load-bearing points of components and ensure that mold splitting joints avoid stress concentration areas; for example, radial mold splitting rather than horizontal division is adopted in hyperbolic curtain walls, so that the glass fiber distribution better conforms to the mechanical load transfer path; second, “maximized mold reuse” — for parametric forms with repeated units, modular mold splitting design reduces the number of molds by more than 40%; in a cultural center project, the production of 3000㎡ of irregular-shaped envelope was achieved through the combination of 12 sets of basic molds; finally, “installation tolerance control” — considering the precision requirements of on-site hoisting, a 3-5mm adjustment allowance is reserved during mold splitting, and combined with 3D scanning positioning technology, the splicing error of a commercial complex project in Guangzhou was controlled within 2mm.

2. Key Technical Points: Full-Process Control from Digital Design to Industrial Production

In today's era dominated by parametric design, mold splitting technology has entered the “digitally driven” age. The GRC mold splitting optimization system independently developed by Qinglong Group integrates Rhino parametric modeling and finite element analysis functions, and can automatically generate optimal mold splitting schemes. In the hyperbolic paraboloid form of a grand theater project, the technical team achieved precise mold splitting through the following steps: first, conducting surface developability analysis and decomposing non-developable surfaces into several developable units; second, adopting a “male-female mold complementary” design so that the parting surfaces of adjacent components form a mortise-and-tenon structure, enhancing overall rigidity; finally, introducing “virtual pre-assembly” technology to verify the feasibility of the mold splitting scheme in digital space, identifying and correcting potential interference issues in advance. In the production stage, for openwork relief components, the innovative “segmented core-pulling” process was adopted, solving the problem that traditional integral molds cannot demold, enabling the perfect presentation of the 8m-high openwork GRC relief in a museum project in Shenzhen.

3. Industry Experience and Insights: The Full-Chain Service Capability Behind Mold Splitting Technology

28 years of engineering practice show that an excellent mold splitting scheme is inseparable from full-chain collaboration from design to installation. In an exhibition center project in Nanjing, facing 1500 all-different GRC units, Qinglong Group achieved dynamic optimization of the mold splitting scheme through the “design-production-installation” trinity project management model: the design team and construction team jointly determined that the weight of mold splitting units should be controlled within 80kg to meet manual installation requirements; the production base adopted “unit-based assembly line operations”, with each mold splitting unit equipped with a dedicated QR code traceability system; on-site installation used “total station + BIM model” dual-control positioning to ensure the flatness of mold splitting joints. This full-chain service capability is precisely the embodiment of Qinglong's core competitiveness as a national high-tech enterprise and a participant in formulating GRC industry standards.

From the streamlined envelope of Canton Tower to the fantastical forms of Shanghai Disneyland, advances in GRC mold splitting technology continue to push the boundaries of architectural aesthetics. Qinglong Group has always believed that an excellent mold splitting scheme must not only solve technical challenges, but also serve as a “translator” of design creativity, allowing every complex form to be realized in the most economical and safest way. Today, as the application of UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials becomes increasingly widespread, the refinement and digitalization of mold splitting technology will become an inevitable trend in industry development, and enterprises with full-chain service capabilities will continue to lead this technological revolution in building envelopes.