Structures minimize materials, maximize strength: organisms

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Some structures in nature have great strength and stiffness relative to material used due to their spherical or dome-shaped design.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Modify >
	Adapt/optimize >
	Optimize space/materials

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Modern amphorae with bottoms that "roll"; spherical durable packaging; spherical holding tanks to maximize volume for a given surface (reduces material use), communications, utilities, deployable structures.

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Cylinders curve in one direction, circumferentially--their lengthwise curvature is zero. Here we're talking about structures with their surfaces curved in two directions; and, as pointed out earlier (and implicit in Laplace's law), that double curvature gives greater strength and stiffness for a given investment of material. Maximization of internal volume for a given surface compounds the material economy--for that nothing beats a sphere, and a slight egg-shapedness (spheroidicity) doesn't make things much worse…

Nature puts this shape to use in a number of places. Our skulls are nearly spherical domes--and the light and thin bone needs only minimal internal bracing. Similarly, a turtle's shell is a light, strong dome, as are the shells of many bivalve and gastropod mollusks; the thoraces of many insects, spiders, and crustaceans; the eggs of birds; and nut shells. Smashing the wall of a coconut takes quite an effort, and the resulting pieces don't weigh a lot. Still, domes have several disabilities. Localized loads can be troublesome, and resistance to local penetration may demand enough material to offset most of their cheap resistance to uniform transmural pressure differences." (Vogel 2003:440-441)

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Modern amphorae with bottoms that "roll"; spherical durable packaging; spherical holding tanks to maximize volume for a given surface (reduces material use), communications, utilities, deployable structures.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Ceramics, packaging, water supply/sewage treatment

References

Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.

Structures minimize materials, maximize strength: organisms

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