2013 journal article

Cellular growth algorithms for shape design of truss structures

COMPUTERS & STRUCTURES, 116, 1–6.

By: C. Tschida* & L. Silverberg

author keywords: Truss; Design; Bio-inspired; Optimization; Evolutionary algorithms
TL;DR: A novel approach to truss structure shape design is introduced, drawing inspiration from biological processes, that treats each joint or member of a truss as a cell and the entire trussed as a multicellular organism. (via Semantic Scholar)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: August 6, 2018

This paper introduces a novel approach to truss structure shape design, drawing inspiration from biological processes, that treats each joint or member of a truss as a cell and the entire truss as a multicellular organism. The approach mimics plant tropisms in which, through cellular growth, cells change their size and shape in response to scripted gene commands. Examples illustrate the effectiveness of the approach; it is shown to produce arching and double-arching of pinned-pinned trusses, bulging of cantilever trusses and a plant-like tropic response.