Design of Adaptables Structures Based on Application

of Observed Principles in the Nature

Marroquín Rivera, Luis Alberto

San Martin de Porres University
Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
1250 La Fontana Ave.,Lima , PERU
amarroquin@usmp.edu.pe

KEYWORDS

Kinetic, fractal frame, unlimited growth, inflatable.

1. INTRODUCTION

Nature is an infinite source of inspiration for all designers; the performance of the designs observed in
its creatures surprises us every day, due to the fact that we achieve a better knowledge of the natural
world. The principles of design used by nature are countless; in all of them we find an harmonic
combination of parts that are destined to one purpose, This purpose is create a perfect balance with the
environment.

Biological analogies
Moderns architects like Sullivan, Wright, Le Corbusier, R. Buckminster Fuller and Otto Frei
employed biological analogies and the concept of the organic. Both of these concepts are central to the
twentieth century.
In our case three specific characteristics that we observe in the constructions of nature can be used in
the creation of analogical designs of adaptable structures with excellent earthquake-resistant
performance and minimum quantity of mass:

a) Traction and resilience.- Is the study of organic structures, which strategy of design is the
create mechanisms where predominate the efforts of traction with materials of high elasticity
and resilience. These two characteristics are used to achieve a high performance with
minimum energy consumption; we observe them in the spider webs (figure 1). Structures
made with organic material and excellent properties of traction and resilience.
b) Self-similarity and homotecy. Is the strategy of repeating a formal pattern of different scales,
the goal is to generate a stable mechanism that can extend its volume and mass without losing
the original form, we can observe this strategy in the vegetable kingdom and in the shells of
molluscs. ( figure 2 )
c) Expansible pneumatic membrane. Is the analysis of mechanical design of insect wings
(figure 3)

Figure 1. Spider web Figure 2. Nautilius Shell Figure 3. Dragonfly wing

2 DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOTYPES
2.1 The pentatensegrity house

The inspiration comes from the spider web, which uses the fibers to minimize the quantity of mass
in the structure. Webs of araneid spiders have several structural devices designed to absorb the
impact energy.

Space frame: This prototype is constructed in a module named “Dodecahedral space frame” The
module is assembled by the platonic bodies (tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron and
icosahedron). The mathematical relationships between the bodies is the classic golden ratio.

Figure 4. Figure 5. Figure 6.

The Platonic bodies Dodecahedral module Dodecahedral tensegrity
The principle of the tensegrity developed by Buckminster Fuller in the 1950s is used to convert the
“dodecahedral module” (figure 5) to “tensegrity dodecahedral module”. (Figure 6) The
dodecahedral tensegrity is made of rigid post and coil spring to absorb the impact of the outer
forces.

Figure 7. Architectural model Figure 8. Tensegrity system

The pentatensegrity house is the integration of five “tensegrity dodecahedral modules” that work
in perfect structural unit. The construction and test of prototypes is an integral part of structures
adaptables development

Figure 9 .The prototype absorbs the Figure 10 . The prototype recovers its
impact of the outer forces. original form
2.2 Logarithmic Geospiral Dome

The geometry used for the space frame of this model, is the spiral generated by a recursive nest of
Golden Triangles. This is the classic shape of the Chambered Nautilus shell. The curve of this shell
is called Equiangular or Logarithmic spirals and is common in nature to build this armour.
Creatures use the same proportions for each expanded chamber that is added; growth follows a law
which is everywhere the same.

The prototype is based on a pattern of the fractal geometry. The geometric characterization of the
simplest fractals is self-similarity: where the shape is made of smaller copies of itself. The copies
are similar to the whole: same shape but different size.

Figure 11. The protoype is assembled by an Figure 12. The spaceframe is made of
stable mechanism that can extend its volume smaller copies of itself.
and mass.
The “Logarithmic Geospiral Dome” is based on a geometry which allows an unlimited growth in
function the increase of needs of space. The model uses the strategy of repeating a formal pattern of
different scales. This is made to generate a stable mechanism that can extend its volume and mass
without losing the original form.

The Logarithmic Geospiral Dome is retractable by pulling outwards at the base. The driving system
used to open and close the retractable dome is a wire traction system, which has a simple movement
and does not require a lot of maintenance.

5% 35%

85% 100%

Figure 13 . Percentage of opening of the retractable dome.

2.3 Kaleidocyclical Pneumatic membrane. The design is based around a few basic ideas:

a) The Metamorphosis of the Dragonfly,

The inspiration comes from the transformation of the nymph in a flying creature; there are a
series of special mechanisms that help the dragonfly to shed its skin. The body of the
dragonfly shrinks and becomes wrinkled in the old body. In order to open this body, a special
pump system and a special body fluid are created to be used in this process. These wrinkled
body parts of the insect are inflated by pumping body fluid after getting out through the slot.
In the meantime, chemical solvents start to break the ties of the new legs with the old ones.

Figure 14 . The Metamorphosis of the Dragonfly, Figure 15 . Inflatable Geodesic

body parts of the insect are inflated by pumping stabilized by pressure of gases
body fluid. developed in the 1940s
b) The inflatable structures
These structures are typically classified as Pneumatic structures (figure 15) and are structural
forms stablized wholly or mainly by pressure differences of gases, liquids, etc. Tensile stress
pneumatic structures can be readily made from light collapsible, very strong membranes. They
basically fall into three categories: single-layer air supported, air-inflated structures, and
inflated ribbed structures.
c) The Kaleidocycle
The kaleidocycle are three-dimensional ring made up of tetrahedrons united by their edges.
They can turn on if same infinite times without breaking themselves nor becoming deformed
themselves around his centre.

The Kaleidocyclical Pneumatic membrane

This prototype is a radical new form; It is the combination of three concepts: air-Inflatable
structure, Kinetic kaleidocycle and deployable systems in nature.

Figure 16. The four kinetic transformation Figure 17. The kaleidocyclical pneumatic
of the Kaleidocyclical Pneumatic module membrane is the integration of several
“kaleidocyclical pneumatic“modules.
3 DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOTYPES

The potential of these adaptables structures is enormous, I would thank to the characteristics of
flexibility, rapidity of assemblage, excellent earthquake-resistant performance, minimum quantity
of mass, savings on installation costs and the potential for more rigorous factibility studies by
computer.

All of these all possibilities for the application in architecture, structures and construction industry
can be adapted to multiple functions: Pavilion, auditorium, theatre, gallery, house, playground
equipment for kids, etc.

Figure 18 The structure of the pentatensegrity house

Figure 19 The logarithmic geospiral dome

4. REFERENCES

D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, 1961, On Growth and Form, Cambridge University Press, London.
Doczi Gyorgy, 1981 , Power of Limits , Shamballa Publications INC, Boston, Massachusetts.
Mandelbrot, Benoît B. 1982, The Fractal Geometry of Nature. New York: W. H. Freeman and Co.
Marks, Robert W, 1962, The dymaxion world of Buckminster Fuller, New York : Reinhold Pub. Corp
Otto, Frei, 1973, Tensiles structures : design, structure, and calculation of buildings of cables, nets,
and membranes Cambridge : The MIT Press.
Pallasmaa Juhani, 2001, Animales Arquitectos.El funcionalismo ecológico de las construcciones
animales Colección Cuadernas, Fundación César Manrique, Madrid, Spain.
Steadman, Philip, 1979, The evolution of designs; biological analogy in architecture and applied arts,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1958, The future of architecture, Buenos Aires : Poseidon.