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|Crack-resistant Concrete Inspired by Ancient Fish Scales

You'll never believe where the Princeton engineers got their latest concrete breakthrough - an ancient fish..WHAT THE F!*$(ish).

Yup, you heard that right.

These researchers took a page out of nature's playbook to create super tough concrete that's way better at resisting cracks.

The key? They were inspired by the double-helix structures found in the scales of coelacanths—that's a funky-looking fish that's been around since the dinosaurs!

These clever critters use some pretty slick architecture to make their scales extra strong and crack-resistant.

So the Princeton team decided to mimic that in their concrete designs.

They used robotic 3D printing to arrange the concrete into these intricate, twisty 3D patterns like a DNA double-helix. This special arrangement makes the concrete way tougher - up to 63% more resistant to cracking compared to regular old concrete.

The team says it's all about these "toughening mechanisms" - the way the design either blocks cracks from spreading, locks the broken pieces together, or just makes the cracks zig-zag instead of going straight. Pretty nifty, right?

The tricky part was getting the concrete to cooperate.

You see, when you 3D print concrete, the weight of the upper layers can make the lower stuff all deformed and wonky. 

But the researchers had a clever solution - they added a special accelerator to the concrete mix right as it was being extruded. This helped the concrete harden quickly and hold its shape.

So there you have it - ancient fish scales inspiring the next generation of crack-resistant concrete. Mother Nature really is the ultimate engineer, ain't she?

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| What Would You Do?

You are a lead structural engineer responsible for designing a new pedestrian bridge in a rapidly growing urban area. The bridge needs to span a busy intersection, providing a safe crossing for both foot and bike traffic.

During the planning phase, you identify several key design requirements and constraints:

♦ The bridge must have a minimum clearance of 18 feet to allow for the passage of large delivery trucks below.
♦ The bridge should be visually appealing and architecturally interesting to complement the surrounding cityscape.
♦ The construction budget is limited, so the design needs to be cost-effective.
♦ The bridge should be highly durable and require minimal long-term maintenance.
♦ Sustainability is a priority - the design should minimize the environmental impact of construction and operations.

Let us know your strategy!

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|New Shirt Offers Better Protection for Wildland Firefighters

Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a new protective shirt designed specifically for the needs of wildland firefighters. The prototype garment offers more protection than the current version commonly worn by workers who fight wildfires.

The key features of the new shirt include:

♦ Added protection for the shoulders, torso, neck, and wrists - the areas most vulnerable to burns
♦ Incorporation of a 3D "spacer" fabric made of flame-resistant fibers that creates an air gap between the body and the outer layer
♦ Retention of the lightweight, flexible, and breathable qualities needed for the physically demanding work of wildland firefighting

Lab tests showed the new shirt design provided approximately three times more protection against thermal heat compared to the current standard shirt.

It also withstood open flame for 14 seconds before second-degree burns occurred, compared to only 5 seconds for the standard shirt.

In a flash-fire manikin test, the prototype reduced the total burn area on the body by about 6% compared to the existing shirt. This demonstrates that the new design would provide more protection even in the worst-case scenario.

The researchers plan to focus on further improving the shirt's comfort and range of motion, as well as conducting human wear trials. They hope the new design can ultimately be used to manufacture better protective gear for wildland firefighters.

"They need to be adequately protected, but at the same time, there could be improvements to make their lives easier," said Elena Kosareva, the designer of the new shirt.

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|Fresh from the oven

1. Winners announced at 2024 Engineering and Manufacturing Awards: And the Oscar for Best Performance by a Robot goes to…

2. State of Generative Design in Critical Infrastructure: AI x Engineering x Infrastructure = Love 🫶

3. Achieving a supercapacitor: Finally, a battery that can keep up with your Netflix binge.

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|Your next adventure?

1. Packaging Engineer - Philips 
Thinking inside the box has never been so innovative!

2. Manufacturing Engineer II - Johnson Controls International
Where 'control freak' is a compliment…

3. Manufacturing Engineer - Honeycomb Company of America
Make aerospace materials soar while keeping the coffee machine grounded at Honeycomb Company of America!

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