E F G

How I wonder

Three bags full

Q R S

The world so high

One for the little boy

In the sky

Twinkle twinkle

Have you any wool

Next time won't you

Researchers from Monash University have discovered a new design motif derived from the rigid external covering of invertebrates that may help create more damage tolerant materials for future building and construction.

In a paper published in Nature Communications, Professor Wenhui Duan from the Department of Civil Engineering at Monash University says the new pattern, adding to the eight known and common biological structural design patterns, can add a high strength motif to commonly used building materials such as composites and cement, and may help reduce carbon emissions.

The cement industry is one of the largest producers of carbon dioxide, creating up to 8% of worldwide human-made emissions of this gas; this discovery will assist in reducing the use of cement by improving the material’s damage tolerance.

The research team replicated the design motif in cement material, one of the most consumed construction materials in the world. They adopted a 3D printing technique combined with nanotechnology and artificial intelligence to fabricate a lightweight cement composite which adopted this segmental design motif, demonstrating a superior load-bearing capacity and a unique progressive failure pattern.