Development of a Formation Method for a Complex Curve Surface by Automated Control of Supports

This paper verifies a method for fabricating concrete formwork with free-form curved surfaces by utilizing the bending deformation of an upper wooden plate supported by computer-controlled vertical actuators. In this study, a system was developed to control support accuracy by adjusting the heights of a 3 × 3 support matrix, using sensors for measurement and motors for positioning. Experiments were conducted using 1/2- and 1/3-scale experimental devices. While the experiments confirmed both the automated control operation and the feasibility of concrete casting on curved surfaces, they also revealed challenges for full-scale practical application. Specifically, the maximum errors were 27.8 mm for the 1/3 scale and 112.2 mm for the 1/2 scale, which were attributed to joint-related issues. These findings indicate that corrections are required for future full-scale implementations.