Grid-Based Generative Structural Design for Arbitrarily Shaped Buildings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional CAD applications are inefficient in exploring the overall design space for structural systems of buildings, leading to suboptimal finalized designs due to time-consuming finite element analysis and conservative decision-making, especially in complex buildings.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that breaks down the overall design optimization problem into simpler constituent optimization problems, using generative design techniques to systematically explore and identify optimized structural system designs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional CAD applications are used to generate structural system designs, then the design process can be completed with limited computational resources, but the design space exploration is inefficient and the finalized design is not properly optimized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign optimization efficiencyVSAvoidtime required to refine baseline design

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the overall structural system design into multiple independent regions or zones, each of which can be optimized separately. This segmentation allows the design space to be explored more efficiently by focusing computational resources on specific areas rather than analyzing the entire building structure at once, thereby reducing total computation time while improving optimization effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs preliminary actions by pre-defining design constraints, objectives, and regional parameters before the actual design optimization process. This includes pre-establishing load patterns, material properties, and geometric constraints that guide the subsequent generative design algorithms, enabling faster and more targeted exploration of the design space without requiring extensive computational refinement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple baseline designs are generated and refined using conventional CAD applications, then more design options are available, but the computational complexity and time required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of design optionsVSAvoidcomputational complexity of design evaluation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the structural system into multiple independent regions, each with its own design variables and constraints. This allows the generation of multiple design options by independently varying parameters in different regions, thereby expanding design versatility without requiring computationally intensive analysis of every possible combination across the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes by systematically varying key design parameters (such as member sizes, spacing, and material properties) within defined ranges for each region. This controlled parameter exploration enables the generation of multiple design options while maintaining computational efficiency through localized analysis rather than global reanalysis for each design variant.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If structural engineers make conservative design decisions to reduce time requirements, then the design process becomes faster, but the design objectives such as minimizing weight are neglected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime required to generate finalized designsVSAvoidoptimization convergence with design objectives

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service through automated generative design algorithms that independently explore the design space and optimize structural systems without requiring manual intervention or conservative assumptions. The system automatically evaluates multiple design options against the specified objectives (such as weight minimization) and selects optimal solutions, eliminating the need for engineers to trade time for conservatism while maintaining design precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the generative design algorithm continuously evaluates proposed designs against the specified objectives and constraints, adjusting the design parameters in real-time to converge on optimal solutions. This iterative feedback process ensures that design objectives such as weight minimization are met while maintaining acceptable design times, as the system learns from each evaluation and refines subsequent design proposals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12430477B2Techniques for automatically designing structural systems for arbitrarily shaped buildings

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 AUTODESK INC

AI summary

In various embodiments, a grid-based design application automatically generates a design for a structural system of a building. In operation, the grid-based design application generates a structural grid based on a region within a computer-aided design of the building. Subsequently, the grid-based design application applies the structural grid to the region to generate a gridded region. The grid-based design application computes a set of spanning directions based on the gridded region. The grid-based design application then generates at least a portion of the design for the structural system based on the set of spanning directions and the gridded region.