3D disc packing

I'm trying to use Grasshopper to simulate and explore a design idea based on circle packing. I've found a number of grasshopper routines to deal with classic packing methodologies but its way beyond me to adapt them to do what I want:

I want a routine that takes a variable diameter circle and then interfaces it edge to edge with duplicate discs-as shown in the image. The pattern is randomly generated by me gluing laser cut discs together, The pattern is inherantly structural its its simply a triangulated pattern in disguise.

The icing on the cake would to then be able to modify the size of the discs to be varied or to increse/decrease in diameter with elevational height and also to fill a 3D volume!

Any takers? I've been playing about for a week or so but I'm foxed....

Thanks in advance.

Frank.

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Discs.JPG, 67 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jacek Jaskólski on September 13, 2010 at 12:38pm

Hi Frank,

I suppose by triangulated you mean that the intersection points could be connected on the surfaces of the disc, like this:

Am I right?

But how is this pattern inherently structual? Could you elaborate and maybe post some more photos?

Permalink Reply by Frank Spencer on September 17, 2010 at 8:30am

Jacek,

Thanks for the reply. Happy to elaborate.

As you have shown with your diagram, there is a triangulated principle at at the heart of the idea. Its a bit like taking a regular triagulated mesh and then messing it up slighlty to give the members different lengths. If there is enough of the pattern the total pattern is still structurally sound. The next step of describing this idea as discs is the part which is way beyond me.

My thinking has been mostly through physical models which has been the proving ground for the principle so far but I now need the digital workd to explore it further....

Any thought/help are much appreciated.

Frank

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