Matheus C. Fernandes, James C. Weaver, and Katia Bertoldi
New England Mechanics Workshop, Cambridge MA, October 2017
Publication year: 2017

Abstract

The hexactinellid sponge Euplectella aspergillum (sp.), commonly known as the ”Venus’ flower basket”, has recently attracted increasing attention because of its intricate and regular, cylindrical cage-like structure. This sponge is primarily made of ’brittle silica’ and therefore buckling strength plays crucial role in making it resistant to impacts and environmentally applied stresses. We show through a combination of numerical analysis and experiments that a sponge-inspired double diagonal reinforcement design provides enhanced buckling resistance.