Shifting sands: Experimental robotic earth-moving strategies in dynamic coastal environments

Hurkxkens, I; Pigram, D; Melsom, J

Shifting sands: Experimental robotic earth-moving strategies in dynamic coastal environments

Hurkxkens, I Pigram, D

Melsom, J

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, 2021, 2021, (6), pp. 66-74
Issue Date:: 2021-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Hurkxkens, I
dc.contributor.author	Pigram, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5875-2366
dc.contributor.author	Melsom, J
dc.date.accessioned	2021-12-03T18:30:43Z
dc.date.available	2021-12-03T18:30:43Z
dc.date.issued	2021-01-01
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture, 2021, 2021, (6), pp. 66-74
dc.identifier.issn	2367-4253
dc.identifier.issn	2511-624X
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/152073
dc.description.abstract	The increased prevalence of storm surge events that cause extreme erosion in coastal environments points to the delicate balance that exists in the perpetual formation processes of dunes. While coastal defence structures and traditional beach nourishment strategies can alleviate some of the dam-aging force of ongoing wave action, they don't provide a lasting solution and often produce undesirable side-effects. Design authority in this contested area of landscape transformation is often limited to engineers and shaped by reductionist economic or risk management factors. Through investigations in digital landscape fabrication techniques, this paper reconsiders the role of design in these evolving systems while demonstrating the potential for on-site, adaptive, and dynamic construction processes. By creating resilience through adaptive topographies of natural granular material, this paper proposes to establish a new equilibrium between natural processes and robotic earth-moving strategies. By combining a wave tank with natural beach sand, computational modelling and robotic beach sand manipu-lations, emergent topologies and open-ended design proposals are enabled under the continuous influence of water movements. The experiments were conducted in a two-week international masterclass at the School of Architecture, University of Technology, Sydney, where adaptive feedback systems for coastal remediation were studied in relation to the Northern Beaches of Sydney. As such, this paper presents a novel coastal design approach towards autonomous construction in dynamic environments, combining various technologies to generate new paths of research and design investigation.
dc.language	en
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.14627/537705003
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Shifting sands: Experimental robotic earth-moving strategies in dynamic coastal environments
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2021
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building/School of Architecture
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CCDP - Contemporary Design Practice
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-12-03T18:30:40Z
pubs.issue	6
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	2021
utslib.citation.issue	6

Abstract:

The increased prevalence of storm surge events that cause extreme erosion in coastal environments points to the delicate balance that exists in the perpetual formation processes of dunes. While coastal defence structures and traditional beach nourishment strategies can alleviate some of the dam-aging force of ongoing wave action, they don't provide a lasting solution and often produce undesirable side-effects. Design authority in this contested area of landscape transformation is often limited to engineers and shaped by reductionist economic or risk management factors. Through investigations in digital landscape fabrication techniques, this paper reconsiders the role of design in these evolving systems while demonstrating the potential for on-site, adaptive, and dynamic construction processes. By creating resilience through adaptive topographies of natural granular material, this paper proposes to establish a new equilibrium between natural processes and robotic earth-moving strategies. By combining a wave tank with natural beach sand, computational modelling and robotic beach sand manipu-lations, emergent topologies and open-ended design proposals are enabled under the continuous influence of water movements. The experiments were conducted in a two-week international masterclass at the School of Architecture, University of Technology, Sydney, where adaptive feedback systems for coastal remediation were studied in relation to the Northern Beaches of Sydney. As such, this paper presents a novel coastal design approach towards autonomous construction in dynamic environments, combining various technologies to generate new paths of research and design investigation.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/152073