Analogies: Eiffel Tower & the Femur
Eiffel Tower / FemurI) Background/ Basic Mechanisms:
Figure 1: Eiffel Tower Structure
- Eiffel tower is a 1,063 feet (324 m)
-It was designed by Gustave to optimize the amount of iron to provide maximum strength.
-It was designed to withstand tension and compression forces induced onto the tower by the environment (such as wind forces) / I) Background/ Basic Mechanisms:
Figure 2: Femoral Head of the Femur
-Femur is the thigh bone
- It is the strongest and longest part of the human skeletal system.
-It supports most of the varying forces transmitted onto the hip, which sometimes can be more than 6 time one’s body weight.
- It consists of a femoral head, which is an off-centered ball that fits into the hip socket.
- In the femur, especially the head, there are many trabeculae (bone fibers).
-These bone fibers are crisscrossed in layers in a specific order to take compression and tension.
II) Similarities
-Both are intricate designs that are able to support maximal amounts of forces using little amounts of materials.
-Both have structures and support systems according to its varying load: (Struts and braces in the Eiffel Tower; Trabeculae in the femur)
- Materials in the structures, both, crisscrossed and have different layers.
Figure 3: Struts and Bases of the Eiffel Figure 4: Trabeculae in the Femur
- In figure 5, the Femoral head can be seen as a bunch of inverted Eiffel Towers lined up around its cortical bone. Hence, we can see that the mechanical properties are similar.
Figure 5:Comparison between the Femoral head and the Eiffel Tower
III) Possible Design Concepts
-The Designed concepts from these analogies are…
(Conservation of materials, and the Strength of Structures)
-Below are trabeculae inspired building design examples:
Figure 6: The meshwork in the trabeculae towers is able to support buildings while providing an adequate amount of space ratio.
Figure 6: Trabeculae tower
Analogical Reasoning:
Premise#1
The Eiffel tower was built using struts and braces to withstand the tension and compression caused by the environment (ex. Wind forces).
Premise#2
The femur can support a great amount of tension and compression forces by its trabeculae.
______
Conclusion
Since the femur and the Eiffel tower are capable of withstanding great amounts of compression and tension, struts and braces are like the trabeculae; hence, the structure of the Eiffel Tower and the Femur are analogous.
Main Websites:
· http://www.discoveryofdesign.com/id13.html
· http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v4/n4/architects
·
Corresponding Websites:
· http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/US/fab/tutorial/generic/bone2.html
· http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject/59
· http://www.scia-online.com/eNews/en/eNewsOkt05_EN.html
Design Concept Ideas:
· http://www.evolo.us/architecture/trabeculae-re-imagining-the-office-building/