L_FMFRP is an architectural fiber composite surface element with an airy internal structure and variable section. This architectured material is the product of an alternative design and fabrication process that integrates fabric materiality, suggesting moldless shaping of the material through pleating and layering. Initial study of the mechanical properties of the element showed a structural behavior that would satisfy the requirement for schematic architectural cladding configurations, indicating a unique hysteretic behavior of the material. This paper further investigates the hysteretic capacities of L-FMFRP, examining the behavior under repeated loading and the effect of its internal material architecture. Parallels to entangled materials are suggested for a deeper understanding of the phenomenon, and the potential future application as an energy-absorbent material for façade cladding is outlined.
Keywords: FRP; architecture; architectured materials; fiber composites; hysteresis.