A controlled shaping method through the shrinkage of clay

This research proposes a new controlled shaping method of thin-walled clay elements. A clay layer is applied to a carrier material, in order to use the shrinkage behaviour of clay as a shaping agent. This shaping process utilises the change of ratio of adhesion forces through the bond of a planar carrier material with a wet clay layer on its surface, and cohesion forces in clay, during the drying process. Afterwards, the geometry of clay ranges from single curved to double curved three-dimensional shapes that open up the possibility of using this method for creating spatial structures. The main advantage of the proposed method, as opposed to standard methods of shaping clay elements, is the use of van der Waals` attractive forces formation while drying, as active and controlled actors. This approach allows the production of three-dimensional forms without any kind of casting, formwork or elaborate scaffolding while using only secondary force formation during the drying process. The proposed method is corroborated by a sequence of experiments that evaluate the newly formed material and its reshaping process. According to the obtained results, the elements were shaped through the developed method and fired, while the carrier material was removed and reused once the clay elements were fully dried. The fired elements were assembled in a case study, in order to demonstrate the proposed method.