Bio-Inspired Engineering

Preface xv

1. Introduction 1

1.1 A Classic Story of Bio-inspired Engineering 1

1.2 Bio-inspired Engineering Defined 2

1.3 BiE Yesterday and Today 4

1.4 Biology vs. Engineering 6

Key Points to Remember 7

References 7

Problems 7

2. Design 9

2.1 Introduction 9

2.2 Engineering Design 9

2.3 Design in Nature 18

Key Points to Remember 23

References 23

Problems 24

3. Structures and Materials in Engineering 27

3.1 Overview of Structures 27

3.2 Application to Engineering Structures 32

3.3 Constitutive Models 41

Key Points to Remember 52

References 52

Problems 53

4. Structures and Materials in Nature 57

4.1 Configuration in Nature 57

4.2 Shape and Structure in Nature 63

4.3 Natural Materials 77

Key Points to Remember 82

References 82

Problems 82

5. Compliant Structures 85

5.1 The Compliant Paradigm in Nature 85

5.2 Examples of Compliant Structures in Nature and Engineering 87

5.3 Compliant Structure Response Analysis 91

Key Points to Remember 104

References 104

Problems 104

6. Smart Structures 107

6.1 Introduction 107

6.2 Biological Smartness 109

6.3 The Biological Neuron 110

6.4 Self-Healing in Biology and Engineering 111

Key Points to Remember 113

References 114

Problems 114

7. The Bio-inspired Engineering Process 117

7.1 Forward and Reverse Design Redux 117

7.2 Resources for Bio-inspired Engineering 119

7.3 Reverse Design for Bio-inspired Engineering 122

Key Points to Remember 126

References 126

Problems 127

Appendices

Appendix 1 Biological Classification 131

Appendix 2 A Simple Inverse Mechanics Problem 133

Appendix 3 Reverse Engineering Worksheets 135

Appendix 4 Tip Angle îµ0 and the Elliptic Integral of the First Kind K(îª) 141

Appendix 5 Comparative Properties of Natural Materials 143

Figure Attributions 147

Index 151