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Biomimetic Patterns in Architectural Design

Profile image of Julian F V VincentJulian F V Vincent

2009, Architectural Design

https://doi.org/10.1002/AD.982
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Abstract

In a brief review of aspects of biology relevant to architectural design, a number of biological organisms are considered, delivering design ideas for the improvement of tree structures in the Sagrada Familia; better insulation (ideas from penguin feathers and birds' nests) and cooling of buildings in a hot climate; light but stiff floor plates (derived from the morphology of cuttlebone); supply of fluid through a branching system of pipes and a better fire extinguisher using ideas from the spray mechanism of the bombardier beetle.

Figures (9)
To cite this article: | ulian F.V. Vincent (2014): Biomimetics in architectural design, Intelligent Buildings International, DOI: 10.1080/ 17508975.2014.911716
To cite this article: | ulian F.V. Vincent (2014): Biomimetics in architectural design, Intelligent Buildings International, DOI: 10.1080/ 17508975.2014.911716
Figure 1. Columns in Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Left: a branching column with the outline of a divided tree superimposed. Note the difference in shape of the internal corner. Right: the lumps are probably Gaudi’s sol- ution to the inevitable stress concentrations which the sharp corners of his design will engender.
Figure 1. Columns in Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Left: a branching column with the outline of a divided tree superimposed. Note the difference in shape of the internal corner. Right: the lumps are probably Gaudi’s sol- ution to the inevitable stress concentrations which the sharp corners of his design will engender.
Figure 2. Identity and location of the cuttlebone (phragmocone) in a cuttlefish. There is a standard conflict in any structure: if it is light, it requires less material for its general support. Unfortunately, it is also likely to be weaker and less stiff. However, there is a structure in biology, the phragmocone of the cuttlefish (otherwise known as cuttlebone, Figure 2). This ‘bone’ is an open, cellular, structure (Figure 3(a) and 3(b)) made primarily of calctum carbonate around an organic matrix of chitin and protein. It contains a gas (some form of ‘air’) secreted into it by the cuttlefish and acts as a flotation device, allowing the cuttlefish to swim at a particular depth with neutral bouyancy at considerable saving of energy. Thus, the range of depths that the cuttlefish can expect to patrol in search of food depends on the strength of the cuttlebone under pressure. Although i it contains only about 5% solids, the cuttlebone of Sepia officinalis can withstand a , eo ae ae a tee ee ye ee at we ee
Figure 2. Identity and location of the cuttlebone (phragmocone) in a cuttlefish. There is a standard conflict in any structure: if it is light, it requires less material for its general support. Unfortunately, it is also likely to be weaker and less stiff. However, there is a structure in biology, the phragmocone of the cuttlefish (otherwise known as cuttlebone, Figure 2). This ‘bone’ is an open, cellular, structure (Figure 3(a) and 3(b)) made primarily of calctum carbonate around an organic matrix of chitin and protein. It contains a gas (some form of ‘air’) secreted into it by the cuttlefish and acts as a flotation device, allowing the cuttlefish to swim at a particular depth with neutral bouyancy at considerable saving of energy. Thus, the range of depths that the cuttlefish can expect to patrol in search of food depends on the strength of the cuttlebone under pressure. Although i it contains only about 5% solids, the cuttlebone of Sepia officinalis can withstand a , eo ae ae a tee ee ye ee at we ee
Figure 3. (a) (Top) Lateral view of cuttlebone showing ‘pillars’ (about 1 mm high) between layers. (b). (Bottom) Vertical view of a layer of the cuttlebone, cut to show the undulating ‘pillars’ and the more complex curves of the insertion into the plate.
Figure 3. (a) (Top) Lateral view of cuttlebone showing ‘pillars’ (about 1 mm high) between layers. (b). (Bottom) Vertical view of a layer of the cuttlebone, cut to show the undulating ‘pillars’ and the more complex curves of the insertion into the plate.
Although the phragmocone structure might be rather more difficult to form than a honeycomb, a sandwich structure and so can be used as a floor plate. Instead of the hexagonal cell of a honeycomb, it has a series of sub-parallel meandering plates (confusingly called ‘pillars’) that have a greatly increased area of insertion (modelled as fractal. on the sheet that forms the upper or lower surface of the sandwich (Figure 3(b)). Thus, one of the problems of a sandwich structure — delamination — is mostly solved. The structure performs mechanically according to Timoshenko’s analysis (Figure 4) and so can be scaled appropriately using the relevant material and structural parameters (Timoshenko 1936). The pillars are treated as plates subject to Euler buckling. So if they are shorter than a critical length they do indeed func- tion as pillars, breaking only when their compressive strength has been achieved. Under those circumstances, the strength will be a simple function of the total cross-section area of the pillars. If the pillars have a higher aspect ratio they will tend to buckle elastically before failure, which is probably safer from a structural point of view, but might be a little disconcerting for those using the building! Although the phragmocone structure might be rather more difficult to form than a honeycomb.
Although the phragmocone structure might be rather more difficult to form than a honeycomb, a sandwich structure and so can be used as a floor plate. Instead of the hexagonal cell of a honeycomb, it has a series of sub-parallel meandering plates (confusingly called ‘pillars’) that have a greatly increased area of insertion (modelled as fractal. on the sheet that forms the upper or lower surface of the sandwich (Figure 3(b)). Thus, one of the problems of a sandwich structure — delamination — is mostly solved. The structure performs mechanically according to Timoshenko’s analysis (Figure 4) and so can be scaled appropriately using the relevant material and structural parameters (Timoshenko 1936). The pillars are treated as plates subject to Euler buckling. So if they are shorter than a critical length they do indeed func- tion as pillars, breaking only when their compressive strength has been achieved. Under those circumstances, the strength will be a simple function of the total cross-section area of the pillars. If the pillars have a higher aspect ratio they will tend to buckle elastically before failure, which is probably safer from a structural point of view, but might be a little disconcerting for those using the building! Although the phragmocone structure might be rather more difficult to form than a honeycomb.
Figure 5. Heat flux through a penguin pelt for two diameters (r) of the barbules. Redrawn from Journal of Theoretical Biology, 248(4), Du et al., An improved model of heat transfer through penguin feathers and down, 727-735, Copyright 2007, with permission from Elsevier. dalOllal. All organisms and their constituent cells are insulated in some way from their immediate sur- oundings. This provides us with a large selection of possible models for enclosures and facades. ‘urrent interest is mostly with insulation, where animals such as penguins and polar bears are per- eived as interesting models. Both these animals can exist in air temperatures of —40°C, with a ody temperature of around +40°C. They are actually warmer when in water! This temperature radient of 80°C or so is resisted across a layer of hairs or feathers of only a few centimetres, lus an underlying layer of fat. The fat layer insulates not by any intrinsic characteristics, but cause fat cells have a very low metabolic rate and therefore require minimal blood supply. ‘he temperature gradient across the pelt is therefore probably nearer 50°C or 60°C. Penguin feath- rs have a large number of barbules, 3 tm radius filaments with hooks along their length, radiating rom the base of the feather shaft (rachis). These are collectively the ‘after feather’. The hooks nteract with adjacent barbules forming a stable network. An initial simple model considered he barbules as layers (shields) reflecting and radiating heat from the pelt, and conduction, convec- ion and radiation from the skin surface were calculated (Dawson et al. 1999). The close network estricts convection to more or less zero, and feather keratin has a low conductivity. The estimated eat loss was about 20% greater than measured from a penguin. A later, more sophisticated, analysis resulted in a lower estimate of heat loss, about 10% less aren the weanoean aamaoiint (Tin at al ON0T7\. Tnreancinc fen Avarsatear nt thew haekiilac in: tha: mmth..
Figure 5. Heat flux through a penguin pelt for two diameters (r) of the barbules. Redrawn from Journal of Theoretical Biology, 248(4), Du et al., An improved model of heat transfer through penguin feathers and down, 727-735, Copyright 2007, with permission from Elsevier. dalOllal. All organisms and their constituent cells are insulated in some way from their immediate sur- oundings. This provides us with a large selection of possible models for enclosures and facades. ‘urrent interest is mostly with insulation, where animals such as penguins and polar bears are per- eived as interesting models. Both these animals can exist in air temperatures of —40°C, with a ody temperature of around +40°C. They are actually warmer when in water! This temperature radient of 80°C or so is resisted across a layer of hairs or feathers of only a few centimetres, lus an underlying layer of fat. The fat layer insulates not by any intrinsic characteristics, but cause fat cells have a very low metabolic rate and therefore require minimal blood supply. ‘he temperature gradient across the pelt is therefore probably nearer 50°C or 60°C. Penguin feath- rs have a large number of barbules, 3 tm radius filaments with hooks along their length, radiating rom the base of the feather shaft (rachis). These are collectively the ‘after feather’. The hooks nteract with adjacent barbules forming a stable network. An initial simple model considered he barbules as layers (shields) reflecting and radiating heat from the pelt, and conduction, convec- ion and radiation from the skin surface were calculated (Dawson et al. 1999). The close network estricts convection to more or less zero, and feather keratin has a low conductivity. The estimated eat loss was about 20% greater than measured from a penguin. A later, more sophisticated, analysis resulted in a lower estimate of heat loss, about 10% less aren the weanoean aamaoiint (Tin at al ON0T7\. Tnreancinc fen Avarsatear nt thew haekiilac in: tha: mmth..
Figure 6. Insulating properties of a pigeon’s nest. Vertical axis represents the voltage necessary to maintain a temperature of 40°C inside the nest. It is worth looking at the way animals and plants move fluids around, assuming that they are doing it efficiently and with built-in controls. Scaling issues come into this, in that many systems rely largely on diffusion — the tracheal system such as that found in insects, for instance, which is the only air ducting system taking oxygen directly to the tissues. It relies largely on diffusion,
Figure 6. Insulating properties of a pigeon’s nest. Vertical axis represents the voltage necessary to maintain a temperature of 40°C inside the nest. It is worth looking at the way animals and plants move fluids around, assuming that they are doing it efficiently and with built-in controls. Scaling issues come into this, in that many systems rely largely on diffusion — the tracheal system such as that found in insects, for instance, which is the only air ducting system taking oxygen directly to the tissues. It relies largely on diffusion,
Figure 7. Relationship between diameter, length and branching angle to provide fluid at the same pressure to a delivery point.
Figure 7. Relationship between diameter, length and branching angle to provide fluid at the same pressure to a delivery point.
Figure 8. Ratio between pipe sizes over a range of branching angles. Redrawn from © 1926. Rockefeller University Press. Journal of General Physiology. 9:835-841.
Figure 8. Ratio between pipe sizes over a range of branching angles. Redrawn from © 1926. Rockefeller University Press. Journal of General Physiology. 9:835-841.

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