Topologically Interlocking Joinery: Research

Description

​

Topologically Interlocking Joineries can be viewed as a design principle to join structural elements without any mechanical fasteners but by geometry and contact mechanisms. They have a long history in traditional timber structures inboth in Eastern and Western culture. They are easy to assemble and have integrated performance and appearance. TIJs are rarely used in architectural design due to the lack of scientific understanding of how these joints work in terms of their material and structural behavior. Our multidisciplinary research between architecture and mechanical engineering addressed this challenge in light of advanced simulation and fabrication methods. 

​

Acknowledgements:

This research was funded by the SUTD-MIT International Design Centre at Singapore Univesity of Technology and Design (SUTD)