Knitted Bio-based architectural membranes: Optimization strategies for grading of knitted membranes for architectural application based on natural yarn tensile properties and membrane structural performance

The shift towards regenerative architecture necessitates a fundamental transformation in material selection, moving away from fossil-based synthetic fibers toward bio-based alternatives. This abstract presents a project that investigates a method for using natural plant-based fibers in architectural applications. Knitted membranes offer a promising material platform for adaptive material distribution due to their additive composition and capacity for localized reinforcement (Sinke, Tamke, and Ramsgaard Thomsen 2023). The research presents a series of material tests conducted at both the yarn and textile levels, acknowledging that the architecture of knitted structures affects the structural performance of the textiles. Various knit structures are evaluated, and material testing allows for the grading of knitted structures based on their strength capacities. By leveraging the data from material tests, digital simulation and computational design methods, this study explores a novel approach in which yarn properties and knitted structures are analyzed and strategically assigned within a tensile membrane structure. This introduces the multi-dimensional grading, where the surface is graded both with yarns but also knitted structures. A design of graded knitted fabric allocates the yarns and structures of higher strength capacities with the surface regions experiencing greater stress and structural demand, while the yarns and knit structures of lower strength are allocated to areas with minimal load-bearing requirements and lighter structural utilization. This computationally driven material distribution enables performance optimization while retaining the sustainability benefits of natural fibers.