Form Finding and Dimensioning of Reinforced Concrete Shell Roof for Akrotiri (Santorini)

Shells are long-span and inherently light-weight structures used for both their aesthetic and structural benefits. This paper develops a robust methodology for the reinforced concrete (RC) roof shell design of Akrotiri, an archaeological site in Santorini island, Greece. The methodology uses Oasys GSA and finite element package Abaqus which allow both form finding analysis and dimensioning to be conducted. Through the step-by-step application of this method, a protective shell cover is designed and its applicability demonstrated.