Form Finding Lab – Princeton University

Welcome

Our research focuses on the mechanics and design of slender large-span shells, membranes, and elastic rod networks under extreme loading and during construction. Our work concerns shape generation and analysis approaches for innovative lightweight structural systems that enable a resilient, and sustainable built environment. We focus on the advancement of theoretical and computational approaches to predict and design the overall properties, stability, and failure of these systems. If you think there might be a fit and you would like to work with me, please contact me to begin a conversation and include your CV and transcript many months in advance of application deadlines (sadriaen@princeton.edu). For more details about how to apply click here.

Prof. S. Adriaenssens
Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Princeton University

Ph.D. position available (ML, circular economy, structural design)

Would you like to join my research group the Form Finding Lab in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Princeton University as a PhD student? Are you keen on delving into machine learning approaches and circular economy principles to transform the structural engineering design framework? Read more....

2023 Myron Goldsmith Visiting Chair at IIT College of Architecture

I am thrilled to have been asked to be the 2023 Myron Goldsmith Visiting Chair at IIT College of Architecture (Chicago, IL).

PROCTER FELLOWSHIP FOR EDVARD BRUUN

Congrats to my PhD student Edvard Bruun, on being awarded the Procter Fellowship. This prestigious honorific fellowship reflects the Princeton University Graduate School’s exceptionally high opinion of his scholarship.

FUNDING: PU SEAS Innovation: Kirigami tailors airflow and shade in public, outdoor spaces

We are delighted to have been awarded PU SEAS funding to o develop a framework for designing kirigami structures that can be tuned to optimize shading, ventilation, or a combination of the two.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Celebrating the engineering achievements of the wonderful women in my research group, the Form Finding Lab and all those I was lucky to work with over the years!

USC PRESENTATION: FORM AND FORCE IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

I was delighted to present our work in the 2023 Engaged Spring Series Lecture in the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California - Los Angeles, and learn about their adaptive re-use studios.

EXHIBITION: BALANCING ACT

Balancing Act, our exhibition at the AIA Triangle in Rayleigh NC, opens this Monday 31st January 2023! Join me (on-line) for the Robert B. Burns Lecture (Monday 31st at 6.30pm EST) .

PNAS PUBLICATION: Continuous modeling of creased annuli with tunable bistable and looping behaviors

Our most recent PNAS paper! Super proud on this collaboration - for the open access link and the abstract click "Read More".

JOURNAL PUBLICATION: CREATIVE TENSION HOW A CHOREOGRAPHER AND AN ENGINEER INNOVATE TOGETHER

This month's A+U edition focuses on Engineering Art. I am proud as punch to see our work with the choreographer Rebecca Lazier featured in it. Other contributors to the edition include Mike Schlaich and Anne Burghartz, John Ochsendorf, Mark Sarkisian, Bill Baker and Alessandro Beghini, Guy Nordenson, Walter Hood, Walker Downey and Caroline A. Jones, Adam Weinberg

WE MADE IT ON THE COVER OF EXTREME MECHANICS!

Happy Holidays from the Form Finding Lab! Enjoy our Origami Water Bomb Curved Crease Studies on the Cover of this month Extreme Mechanics. Do they do not look a little like ornaments or snowflakes?

JOURNAL PUBLICATION: Effect of crease curvature on the bistability of the origami waterbomb base

How to model and tailor Curved Crease Origami? Find out how we did it here. J. Flores, L. Stain-Montalvo, S. Adriaenssens*|, ‘Numerical modeling of the behavior and bistability of curved crease origami waterbomb base structures’, Extreme Mechanics, DOI:10.1016/j.eml.2022.101909

JOURNAL PUBLICATION: Learning the nonlinear dynamics of mechanical metamaterials with graph networks

We present a metamaterial graph network. T. Xue, S. Adriaenssens, S. Mao (2022). 'Learning the non-linear dynamics of soft mechanical metamaterials with graph networks'. Journal of Mechanical Sciences, DOI:10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2022.107835

FUNDING: PIIRS Structural Crafts: Developing Vernacular Construction for Sustainable Futures.

We are delighted to deepen and enrich our understanding of Spain-based craft construction using natural locally available materials with this new funding. We look forward to working with Dr. Wesam Al Asali, School of Architecture, IE University.

JOURNAL PUBLICATION: Differential Formulation and Numerical Solution for Elastic Arches with Variable Curvature and Tapered Cross-Section

Proud of this collaboration. J. Melchiorre, A. Manuello, F. Marmo, S. Adriaenssens|, G. C. Marano, (2022). ‘Differential Formulation and Numerical Solution for Elastic Arches with Variable Curvature and Tapered Cross-Sections’, European Journal for Mechanics: A/ Solids, DOI: 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2022.104757

JOURNAL PUBLICATION:

S. Kahn, J. A, Vertesi, S. Adriaenssens, M.C. Fixdal, K. Godfrey, J. Lumbroso, K. Wagoner, ‘ The Impact of Online STEM Teaching and Learning During COVID-19 on Underrepresented College Students’ Self-Efficacy and Motivation’, Journal of College Science Teaching

MEDIA: COMPOSERS AND COMPUTERS

In the PU podcast "Dance me to the end" Rebecca Lazier , choreographer and I talk about the creation choreographic works that generate a new understanding of how different net topologies rigidify when loaded and soften when unloaded.