Natural architectural design

Abstract

Science, engineering and medicine are three rather distinct disciplines. However, encounters between researchers in these fields often result in dialogues and exchanges on how their different worlds are not that dissimilar. Frequently they discuss how the world that surrounds them is so full of inspiration to them in their respective fields. Indeed, in seeking solutions to our problems and research questions, we often ignore the obvious and forget that, through time, nature has probably already found a way how to solve most of the problems we will ever encounter. Indeed, nature has its own way of solving complex problems in an exceptionally smart manner that we can only but admire and let ourselves be inspired. This work, dedicated to a very dear person of exceptional gentleness, integrity and wisdom, who one of the co-authors is fortunate enough to have as his uncle, will look at how nature has solved some real important problems through a process that is being referred to as ‘natural architectural design’. The aim is not to provide an extensive or thorough review of the state of the art of matters discussed, but more to share some of the interests of the co-authors with the wider community. It will also attempt to show how nature has inspired the authors and guided them in their process of understanding some of the more pertinent issues related to their work. In particular, this article will look at the architectures of the human rib cage and chest and how these are designed for optimal function. It will also look at how the actual chest shape can be modelled using classical pressure vessel theory so as to predict stress concentrations and also the likelihood for certain medical conditions. It will then look at another marvellous natural construct: the shells of turtles and molluscs, and how nature can achieve exceptional mechanical properties in natural hierarchical biomaterials. Finally, it will look at how nature can achieve a highly unusual mechanical property, that of auxeticity, meaning the ability of becoming fatter rather than thinner when stretched, and how this is realized in tendons, including human ones, and crystals.