Analogies: Eiffel Tower & the Femur
Eiffel Tower
Femur
I) Background/ Basic Mechanisms:
I) Background/ Basic Mechanisms:
Figure 1: Eiffel Tower Structure
Figure 2: Femoral Head of the Femur
- 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)
-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 offcentered 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.
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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:
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http://www.discoveryofdesign.com/id13.html
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v4/n4/architects
Corresponding Websites:
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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:
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http://www.evolo.us/architecture/trabeculae-re-imagining-the-officebuilding/