Dynamic Mold System (Dms): Adaptive and Reusable Vacuum Panels Formwork System for Double-Curved Concrete Structures

Freeform and double-curved concrete structures enjoy great popularity and have played an essential role in modern architecture. Shell structures are visually appealing and highly efficient structures that can span vast areas.However, the main problems in executing shell and freeform structures are the high construction costs and the significant carbon footprint due to the formwork that must be custom-made for a specific purpose and thus cannot be reused. This central aspect challenges shell structures to be sustainable and environmentally friendly for building industries. A more sustainable and cost-effective concrete molding system for freeform structures has been in demand for quite some time. In response, Architects Rames and Karim Najjar and Physicist Ivan Tochev (Najjar and Tochev Innovations) developed and patented their Dynamic Mold System (DMS), which offers a reusable, easily manageable, economical, and reversible formwork system for freeform and curved concrete structures. Dynamic Mold System (DMS) aims to offer a cost-efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional formwork to construct concrete freeform structures using a reusable adaptive molding system. The principal function of DMS is to form a desired shape via a computer-controlled substructure that is solidified by generating a vacuum inside the flexible formwork element. This makes it suitable for concrete freeform structures cast in place or prefabricated. DMS is reused through its straightforward interface, which alters the mold's shape, allowing it to be adjusted directly on the construction site.The paper presents the patented Dynamic Mold System's principal functions and status of knowledge and development. It explains different tests and the technology applied while discussing the advantages of DMS compared to other 3D-formworks.