Bio-inspired structures

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

Sufficient background in structural mechanics

The growing use of bio-inspired structures in aerospace and many other disciplines has arisen from their high specific strength and stiffness, and easy (low energy) fabrication processes when compared to more conventional materials, and our ability to shape and tailor their structure to produce more aerodynamically efficient structural configurations. There is a growing desire in the industry to train students to understand these classes of bio-inspired materials for interdisciplinary design work and also to tailor these exotic materials to meet the needs of industry application. The intent of this course is to respond to this perceived gap, while exploiting synergies with other engineering departments that have articulated similar needs.

The principal objectives of the course are to:

The course is divided into four sections.

Guest lecturers have been invited to complement the course by presenting the latest findings in their field of study. Reviews will be given at the end of each section, principally to present a unified overview of each section, and also for exam or course work preparation.

Students will receive a letter grade for the course. There is no final exam.

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