Adaptive structures in civil engineering – state of the art

Abstract

PurposeAdaptive load-bearing structures pursue the approach of saving mass within a load-bearing structure by adding external energy, thus saving materials and resources. This paper provides an overview of current research developments and shows some examples of existing prototypes.Design/methodology/approachFirst, basic terms and definitions from the research field of adaptive structures are introduced. After a brief historical insight, the numerical methods and prototypes used are presented as examples. The paper concludes with a summary of the state-of-the-art and open questions.FindingsThe current state of the art shows that the idea of adaptive structures offers great potential for more sustainability and resource efficiency in the construction industry. However, it also shows that research is still at the basic stage and that there are still some gaps in research.Originality/valueThe implementation of adaptive load-bearing structures is just one of many different approaches to greater sustainability in the construction sector. The issue of adaptive structures is a highly interdisciplinary field of research. The following paper is a literature review intended to summarize and critically evaluate the state-of-the-art research in this field. In the final section, some open questions are addressed, indicating that this research topic is still evolving.