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Pierre Latteur
Professor
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Recent publications

Pierre Latteur's research focuses on the optimization of structures, on tensegrity structures, on timber structures, on interlocking structures and on the robonumerization of the construction processes.

IMMC main research direction(s):
Civil and environmental engineering

Keywords:
tensegrity
optimization of structures
robot-compatible construction processes

Research group(s): GCE

PhD and Post-doc researchers under my supervision:

Optimization of tensegrity bridges based on morphological indicators
Jonas Feron

Tensegrity structures are composed of struts and tendons in such way that the compression is “floating” inside a net of tension in a stable self-equilibrated state. Although tensegrity forms have inspired artists and architects for many years, there exist very few real construction projects across the world. The main reasons are, among others, the complex construction processes and the lack of design guidelines. This research, performed in collaboration with the company BESIX, aims at proving the feasibility of a first pure tensegrity bridge around the world.
When the structure is externally loaded, large displacements occur and require non-linear calculation before reaching an equilibrium. Indeed, in tensegrity structures more than in conventional ones, form and forces are intrinsically correlated. This phenomenon is due to their intern mechanism, unless appropriate pre-stressing is applied. An allowable stiffness can be possible, but at a certain material cost, which in turn justifies the relevance of the optimization of the weight.
While designing a tensegrity structure, optimization and form finding are often great challenges. Indeed, the large amount of parameters (span, height, shape, cross sections, materials, loads, pre-stress, etc) makes the search for the structure with the best performances cumbersome. A solution to this problem is to reduce the number of degrees of freedom to consider, by grouping them into dimensionless numbers, the morphological indicators.
In 2014, R.E. Skelton et al were pioneers in using a similar approach for optimizing planar tensegrity bridges uniformly loaded. In 2017, P. Latteur et al adapted the morphological indicators methodology, used so far to optimize mainly trusses and arches, to 3D non-linear and pre-stressed lattice structures such as tensegrity structures. In 2019, J. Feron et al used this methodology to investigate the performances of different 3D forms of uniformly loaded tensegrity footbridges.
This research focus on the required checks to ensure the practicality, the constructability and the economical and structural efficiency of a pure tensegrity footbridge thanks to non linear finite element analysis, experimental validation, parametric design, prestress optimization and dynamic behavior assessment

Recent publications

See complete list of publications

Journal Articles

1. Feron, Jonas; Rhode-Barbarigos, Landolf; Latteur, Pierre. Experimental testing of a tensegrity simplex: self-stress implementation and static loading. In: journal of structural engineering, (2023). doi:10.1061/JSENDH/STENG-11517 (Accepté/Sous presse). http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271696

2. Geno, Julien; Goosse, Justin; Van Nimwegen, Serena; Latteur, Pierre. Parametric design and robotic fabrication of whole timber reciprocal structures. In: Automation in Construction, Vol. 138, p. 104198 (2022). doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104198. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271309

3. Latteur, Pierre; Fascetti, Andrea; Goessens, Sébastien. The droxel: A universal parametric construction component. In: Engineering Structures, Vol. 250, no.113363 (2022). doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.113363. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271332

4. Rogeau, Nicolas; Gamerro, Julien; Latteur, Pierre; Weinand, Yves. Design considerations for robotically assembled through-tenon timber joints. In: Construction Robotics, Vol. online (2022). doi:10.1007/s41693-022-00080-5. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271323

5. Fascetti, Alessandro; Latteur, Pierre; Lim, Shen Hin. Ground-based automated construction of droxel structures: An experimental approach. In: Automation in Construction, Vol. 131, p. 103899 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2021.103899. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271695

6. Latteur, Pierre; Geno, Julien; Vandamme, Marie. Design rules for timber log reciprocal floors, based on mass optimization under stiffness constraint. In: International Journal of Space Structures, Vol. 36, no.3, p. 217-240 (2021). doi:10.1177/09560599211041699. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271842

7. Rogeau, Nicolas; Latteur, Pierre; Weinand, Yves. An integrated design tool for timber plate structures to generate joints geometry, fabrication toolpath, and robot trajectories. In: Automation in Construction, Vol. 130, p. 103875 (2021). doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2021.103875. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/271541

8. Feron, Jonas; Boucher, Lindy; Denoël, Vincent; Latteur, Pierre. Optimization of Footbridges Composed of Prismatic Tensegrity Modules. In: Journal of Bridge Engineering, Vol. 24, no.12, p. 28 (2019). doi:10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0001438. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/222232

9. Descamps, Thierry; Monhonval, Michel; Latteur, Pierre. An assessment methodology for timber beams in a restoration context, based on a dimensionless formulation of EC5 design criteria. In: International Journal of Architectural Heritage, Vol. Volume 12, 2018, no.12, p. 726-733. doi:10.1080/15583058.2018.1442527. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/199887

10. Goessens, Sébastien; Mueller, Caitlin; Latteur, Pierre. Feasibility study for drone-based masonry construction of real-scale structures. In: Automation in Construction, Vol. 94, p. 458-480 (2018). http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/201588

Conference Papers

1. Labrique, Sophie; Steinmetz, Martin; Bouckaert, Igor; Latteur, Pierre; Saraiva Esteves Pacheco De Almeida, João. Augmenter l'engagement des étudiants par le développement de supports de cours interactifs. 2021 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/255934

2. Nicolas Rogeau; Victor Tiberghien; Latteur, Pierre; Yves Weinand. Robotic Insertion of Timber Joints using Visual Detection of Fiducial Markers. 2020 xxx. doi:10.22260/ISARC2020/0068. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/242948

3. Mulas, M.G.; Pisani, M.; Beeckmans, F.; Latteur, Pierre. Dynamic analysis of a steel footbridge under running pedestrians. In: SEMC 2019: THE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, MECHANICS AND COMPUTATION - Cape Town, South Africa. In: Advances in Engineering Materials, Structures and Systems: Innovation, Mechanics and Applications, 2019, 978-1-138-38696-9, p. 138-143 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/225772

4. Feron, Jonas; Mengeot, Pierre; Latteur, Pierre. Uniformly Loaded tensegrity bridge design via morphological indicators method. In: Belgian-Dutch IABSE Young Engineers Colloquium (YEC2019), International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering: Zürich, 2019, 978-1-5108-8449-6, p. 48-49 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/225647

5. Feron, Jonas; Bouckaert, Igor; Mengeot, Pierre; Van Steirteghem, Jan; Latteur, Pierre. Influence of random loads on the optimal design of tensegrity footbridges. 2019 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/222233

6. Chaltiel, Stephanie; Bravo, Maite; Goessens, Sébastien; Latteur, Pierre; Mansouri, Masoumeh; Ahmad, Ismail. Dry and Liquid clay mix drone spraying for Bioshotcrete. In: Proceedings of the IASS Symposium 2018 Creativity in Structural Design, International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (I A S S ): Caitlin Mueller, Sigrid Adriaenssens (eds.), 2018 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/213917

7. Blonder, Arielle; Grobman, Yasha, J.; Latteur, Pierre. Pleated Facades: Layered Fabric Materiality in FRP Surface Elements. In: International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures. Bulletin. (2018). International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (I A S S ): Caitlin Mueller, Sigrid Adriaenssens (eds.), 2018 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/213916

8. Goessens, Sébastien; Rogeau, Nicolas; De Beusscher, Gaëlle; Mueller, Caitlin; Latteur, Pierre. Parametric Design of Drone-Compatible Architectural Timber Structures. In: International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures. Bulletin. (2018). International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (I A S S ), 2018 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/213897

9. Mergny, Elke; Mateo, Raquel; Esteban, Miguel; Descamps, Thierry; Latteur, Pierre. Influence of cracks on the stiffness of timber structural elements. In: WTCE 2016 - World Conference on Timber Engineering, Vienna, Austria. In: Proceedings of WCTE 2016, 2016, 978-390303900-1 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/177639

10. Latteur, Pierre; Ducarme, Delphine; Soares Frazao, Sandra. Apprentissage par projet : évaluation certificative en cours de projet ou à la fin? réflexion sur base d'un projet suivi par les étudiants du Master "ingénieur civil des constructions". In: Questions de pédagogies dans l'enseignement supérieur - Innover, comment et pourquoi? Actes du 8ème colloque, Ecole Polytechnique de Louvain - IMMC, 2015, 978-2-9553298-0-1, p. 467 xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/161376

Book Chapters

1. Nehri, Nabil; Paques, Alexis; Marchand, Cédric; Goessens, Sébastien; Mueller, C.; Latteur, Pierre. Système de guidage d’un drone à l’aide de capteurs embarqués, destiné à la construction automatique d’ouvrages en maçonnerie. In: Revue scientifique des ISILF , xxx: avenue E. Mounier 100 • 1200 Bruxelles, 2017, p. 1-17. D/2017/7362/4001. xxx xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/185730

Working Papers

1. Feron, Jonas; Pierre Mengeot; Thomas Vandenbergh; Latteur, Pierre. A deployable tensegrity footbridge: static design and optimization. 2021. 9 p. xxx xxx. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/252043

Books

1. Latteur, Pierre. Calculer une structure, de la théorie à l'exemple. L’Harmattan/Academia editors: Louvain-la-Neuve, 2016. 9782806102706. 488 pages. http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/185696