An equivalent shell model for elastic gridshell analysis

This study presents a novel framework for modelling elastic gridshells, and particularly their deployment phase, using a continuum shell model derived from the Special Cosserat Theory of rods. Such an approach enforces energetic equivalence between discrete rod-based gridshell configurations and a continuum shell representation, enabling the derivation of constitutive parameters that accurately reflect the structural behaviour. Numerical simulations validate the model’s remarkable accuracy, achieving a maximum percentage root mean square error of about 2% when compared to traditional discrete beam models. Experimental validation on a real-world structure, the Toledo 2.0 gridshell, further confirms the model’s predictive capability. The proposed methodology provides an efficient and versatile tool for the early stages of gridshell design. It permits rapid assessment of structural performance, thus significantly reducing computational overhead while maintaining high accuracy.