Experimental Form-Finding Using Thermoplastic Resin

In this study, in order to make the finding shape easy without the expert technique and knowledge, we extend the experimental handing method by using acrylic materials. The acrylic material changes its material property in the hot state and becomes with in-plane stress state when it is hanged, that is we can introduce stretch of materials in finding a shape. We describe the experimental method using the heating acrylic plate in detail. Then, we explain about analytical results using coordinates measured from shapes obtained by experimental results. Moreover, we compare this method with the method using the moore-penrose generalized inverse matrix [1] simulating the experimental hanging method without stretch of materials from the view of shapes and the difference of the stress distribution. The method using moore-penrose generalized inverse matrix is the analytical form finding method in the equilibrium state with unstable link structures.