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Shape Optimization - Biomimetic or Naturemimetic?
Roland Kappel
Last modified: 2009-12-28
Abstract
Claus Mattheck, Roland Kappel
Institute for Materials Research II
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe
Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1
D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Germany
Evolution in biology is a merciless competition of the species for survival. To survive, plants and animals are forced to most efficiently apply energy and material. To improve the mechanical load capacity of supporting structures, material and shape are optimized. One of the main approaches to optimizing the shape is the Axiom of Uniform Stress, which has a great explanatory value in biological design.
This concept provides for a homogeneous stress distribution along the surface of self-optimizing structures. With a minimal use of material, they become as strong as necessary to reliably perform their function. Plants and animals realize this by load-adapted growth, which means that higher growth increments occur in higher loaded areas. In the end, the given mechanical load dominates the current design.
The principles of this highly effective, but individual biological design have been explored and transferred to mechanical engineering. In a first step, this was done for technical components by a computer simulation of load-adapted growth. Further developments led to a tremendous simplification in the design process. The state of the art is the Method of Tensile Triangles - a simple graphic method to implement the Axiom of Uniform Stress along surface contours.
By applying the Method of Tensile Triangles, engineering components can be designed according to biological design rules and existent biological structures can be reconstructed. Amazingly, also some abiotic natural phenomena, without the feature of biological growth and, of course, without any will to survive, exhibit analog forms. The present paper will focus on the design of selected abiotic natural phenomena and compare it to biological design. The design of erosion products in the geomechanical formation and of juvenile stalactites and icicles will be highlighted. It appears to be subject to the same design rules of nature as biological structures.
Institute for Materials Research II
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe
Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1
D-76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Germany
Evolution in biology is a merciless competition of the species for survival. To survive, plants and animals are forced to most efficiently apply energy and material. To improve the mechanical load capacity of supporting structures, material and shape are optimized. One of the main approaches to optimizing the shape is the Axiom of Uniform Stress, which has a great explanatory value in biological design.
This concept provides for a homogeneous stress distribution along the surface of self-optimizing structures. With a minimal use of material, they become as strong as necessary to reliably perform their function. Plants and animals realize this by load-adapted growth, which means that higher growth increments occur in higher loaded areas. In the end, the given mechanical load dominates the current design.
The principles of this highly effective, but individual biological design have been explored and transferred to mechanical engineering. In a first step, this was done for technical components by a computer simulation of load-adapted growth. Further developments led to a tremendous simplification in the design process. The state of the art is the Method of Tensile Triangles - a simple graphic method to implement the Axiom of Uniform Stress along surface contours.
By applying the Method of Tensile Triangles, engineering components can be designed according to biological design rules and existent biological structures can be reconstructed. Amazingly, also some abiotic natural phenomena, without the feature of biological growth and, of course, without any will to survive, exhibit analog forms. The present paper will focus on the design of selected abiotic natural phenomena and compare it to biological design. The design of erosion products in the geomechanical formation and of juvenile stalactites and icicles will be highlighted. It appears to be subject to the same design rules of nature as biological structures.