Biomimicry in the built environment

Chris Williams
Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering
University of Bath

http://people.bath.ac.uk/abscjkw/
German Pavilion, Expo '67, Montreal: Rolf Gutbrod, Frei Otto, Leonhardt + Andrä
Munich Olympic Stadium 1972: Günther Behnisch, Frei Otto, Leonhardt + Andrä, Jörg Schlaich
Millenium Dome (The O2 Arena) 2000: Richard Rogers, Buro Happold
Photographs: Mark Power
Olympic Velodrome London 2012: Hopkins Architects, Expedition Engineering
Cripta de la Colònia Güell 1918: Antoni Gaudí
Funicular polygons Nouvelle mécanique, ou Statique, Tome 1,
Pierre Varignon, 1725
Ponte del Diavolo, Torcello
Henri Cartier-Bresson
Maidenhead Railway Bridge, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, 1839
Mannheim Multihalle 1975: Carlfried Mutschler + Partners, Frei Otto,
Ove Arup & Partners (Ted Happold, Ian Liddell)
Ernst Haeckel: Kunstformen der Natur (Art Forms of Nature)
Montreal Biosphère 1967: Richard Buckminster Fuller
Eden Project 2000: Grimshaw, Anthony Hunt and Associates (now SKM Anthony Hunts)
ETFE Cushions: Vector Foiltec
Cabot Circus 2008: Chapman Taylor Architects,
Schlaich Bergermann und Partner, SKM Anthony Hunts
Downland Gridshell 2002: Edward Cullinan Architects,
Buro Happold (Richard Harris), Green Oak Carpentry Company
Savill Building 2006: Glenn Howells Architects, Buro Happold (Richard Harris), Green Oak Carpentry Company
British Museum Great Court Roof 2000: Foster + Partners, Buro Happold, Waagner Biro
National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam 2011: Ney + Partners
Gardens by the Bay Singapore 2012:
Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Grant Associates, Atelier One, Atelier Ten
Palazzetto dello Sport, Pier Luigi Nervi , 1957
Félix Candela, Chapel Lomas de Cuernavaca
Sydney Opera House 1973:
Jørn Utzon,
Ove Arup & Partners
Photographs: David Moore
Dome: Dome with hole:
positive Gaussian curvature, positive Gaussian curvature,
statically determinate, a mechanism,
inextensional deformation inextensional deformation
not possible possible

Cooling tower:
negative Gaussian curvature,
statically determinate,
inextensional deformation
not possible
Plane coordinates and the Airy stress function

∂σ x ∂τ yx
+ =0
∂x ∂y
∂τ xy ∂σ y
+ =0
∂x ∂y
τ xy = τ yx
∂ 2φ
σx = 2
∂y
∂ 2φ
σy = 2
∂x
∂ 2φ
τ xy = −
∂x∂y
w = load per unit plan area
∂ 2φ ∂ 2 z ∂ 2φ ∂ 2 z ∂ 2φ ∂ 2 z
= 2 2 −2 + 2 2
∂y ∂x ∂x∂y ∂x∂y ∂x ∂y
Coefficients of the first Strain and bending rates ∂K 1 ∂g
=− K + ε im ε jn βij bmn
fundamental form ∂r ∂t 2g ∂t
v= = v j g j + vn
gij = g i • g j ∂t 1 ∂g 1 ∂g ij
= χ ij bij − K+ c bij

Coefficients of the second

( ) ( )
v ,i = ∇i v j − vbij g j + v j bij + v,i n 2g ∂t 2g ∂t
1 ∂g
1 ∂gij = χ ij bij +
= ( ∇ v + ∇ v ) − vb
1 K
fundamental form γ ij = 2g ∂t
2 ∂t
i j j i ij
2
bij = g i, j • n
cij = ε im ε jnbij
1
(
ε ijω = ∇i v j − ∇ j vi
2
) Inextensional deformation
χ ij bij = 0
v ,i • g j = γ ij + ε ijω = ∇i v j − vbij
Peterson-Mainardi-Codazzi
∂n
Equations gi •
∂t
(
= −v ,i • n = − v j bij + v,i = ω i ) At fixed edge
dθ k
ij
(
∇i c = ∇i ε ε bmn = ε ε ∇i bmn = 0
im jn
) im jn

( )
v ,ij • n = ( ∇i vk − vbik ) b jk + vk bik + v,i , j ε ik χ
ij
=0,
du
Gauss's Theorema Egregium 1 ∂bij 1 ⎛ ∂n ⎞ but since χ ij bij = 0 , we must have χ ij = 0
βij = = ⎜ v ,ij • n + g i, j • ⎟
K=
1 im jn 1
ε ε bij bmn = cij bij 2 ∂t 2⎝ ∂t ⎠ dθ i dθ j
2 2 unless bij =0.
1
( (
= ( ∇i vk − vbik ) b jk + ∇ j vk bik + v,i
2
)) du du
If this is not the case, since γ ik = 0 and
Equilibrium
( gσ ij g j )
,i
(
+ g p j g j + pn = 0 )
1
(
= (γ ik + ε ikω ) b jk − ∇ jω i
2
) ω = 0 , it follows that ∇ jω i = 0 at the

∇iσ ij + p j = 0 1 ∂cij 1 ∂g ij boundary. Thus ∇ j ∇i v = v,ij − v, k Γ ijk = 0 at

χ ij = =− c + ε im ε jn βij
σ ij bij + p = 0 2 ∂t 2g ∂t the boundary. Hence ∇i v = v,i = 0 at the

σ ij = σ ji boundary.
Compatibility of velocities
At free edge ∇i χ ij = 0
dθ k ∇i ε im ε jn β mn = 0
ε ikσ ij
=0
du
Shibam Hadhramaut,Yemen