Bioinformed Performative Composite Structures: From biological micro-structures to material composites and articulated assemblies

This ongoing investigation aims to learn from nature novel material organizations and structural systems in order to develop innovative architectural system. We developed a multidisciplinary approach, using scientific analysis and design research and prototyping. We focus on the study of a \u93living fossil\u94 fish, whose armor system is so efficient it has remained almost unchanged for millions of years. We investigate its morphological characteristics, its structural properties, the assembly mechanisms and the underlying material properties in order to derive new principles to design new enhanced structural systems. We use micro computerized tomography and scanning electron microscopy to observe microstructures, parametric design to reconstruct the data into digital models and then several 3D printing technologies to prototype systems with high flexibility and adaptive capabilities, proposing new gradual material interfaces and transitions to embed performative capabilities and multifunctional potentials

Fibrous Morphologies: Integrative design and fabrication of fibre-reinforced structures in architecture using robotic filament winding

Living organisms have evolved effective structural solutions in response to the inherent constraints of their respective environments through a process of morphological adaptation. Given the fact that the majority of natural load bearing materials are fibrous composites, the authors suggest the analysis of appropriate biological role models as a promising strategy for informing the application of fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) in architecture. In this paper the authors present a biomimetic design methodology for seamless large-scale FRP structures involving the analysis of the exoskeletons of Arthropoda with regards to structural performance criteria, the development of a custom robotic filament winding process, and the translation of biological and fabricational principles into the architectural domain through physical prototyping and the development of custom digital tools. The resulting performative material system is evaluated in a full-scale research pavilion

Measurement of charged particle multiplicities and densities in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV in the forward region

Charged particle multiplicities are studied in proton–proton collisions in the forward region at a centre-ofmass energy of √ s = 7 TeV with data collected by the LHCb detector. The forward spectrometer allows access to a kinematic range of 2.0 < η < 4.8 in pseudorapidity, momenta greater than 2 GeV/c and transverse momenta greater than 0.2 GeV/c. The measurements are performed using events with at least one charged particle in the kinematic acceptance. The results are presented as functions of pseudorapidity and transverse momentum and are compared to predictions from several Monte Carlo event generators