Biomimetic deployable structures

• Main Author: Fenci, G. E.
• Published: University of Salford 2018
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.758215

Modern architectural designs aim at creating dynamic and flexible spaces, able to adapt to the ever-changing environment by virtue of temporary and convertible structures. Biomimetics is the applied science that, through the imitation of nature, finds the solution to human problems. By observing motions that occur in nature, for example, the blooming of a flower or the unfolding of wings, inspiration can be drawn for the design of deployable structures with applications ranging from aerospace engineering through to disaster relief shelters. Analysis of deployable structures has proven to be challenging due to the non-linear behaviour and continuously changing geometry. This research project aims to propose a design process, which will enable the analysis of deployable structures with multiple degrees of freedom and their deployment sequences, along with allowing for optimisation of design parameters, such as material use or deployment energy required. The optimisation methodology involves the synthesis of a deployable system into a parametric geometry the configuration of which is determined by a series of variable parameters representing the degrees of freedom. Through the application of engineering judgement to set up the optimisation criteria it is possible to optimise the way in which the degrees of freedom vary relatively to one another in the process of reaching the full deployed configuration by generating the least amount of stress, force or displacement in the structural elements. At the same time, a classification of existing deployable structures will bring clarity and order to the variety and diversity existing within this research area. By critically appraising previously published reviews and classifications of deployable structures, the lack of an organic and comprehensive study became evident. This review brought to the proposal of a new classification table based on overcoming the shortcomings observed during the reviewing process with the purpose of aiding a better understanding of such a vast and complex subject and offering a common classifying order for future work to be based on.