Herstellung von Schalentragwerken aus Beton mit der "Pneumatic Wedge Method" - Ein neues Bauverfahren für den Bau von zweifach gekrümmten Betonflächen mithilfe von pneumatischer Schalung

Building shell structures out of reinforced concrete using the "Pneumatic Wedge Method"

A new construction method called "Pneumatic Wedge Method" was invented at the Institute for Structural Engineering at Vienna University of Technology. The idea behind this new construction method is to build concrete shells with double curvature originating from an initially plane plate. During the transformation process, the elements of hardened concrete are bent until the final form of the shell structure is reached. The steel ropes (5 mm diameter), used as reinforcement, are able to absorb the occurring strains during the distortion. Pneumatic wedges, mounted between the concrete elements, protect the thin foil used as lifting formwork and regulate the distance of these concrete elements during the transformation process. Additional post-tensioning cables support the shaping process and are locked at the anchor bodies to fix the form of the concrete shell. Finally the joints between the elements are filled with grout.