2024-05-03T08:06:19-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150237811/marine-sponges-could-inspire-better-structures-research-says Sean Joyner 2020-11-16T11:35:00-05:00 >2020-11-16T13:54:32-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/77/779a24e7db4309b747c7d07778c337da.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>In a new paper published in Nature Materials, the researchers showed that the diagonally-reinforced square lattice-like skeletal structure of Euplectella aspergillum, a deep-water marine sponge, has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than the traditional lattice designs that have used for centuries in the construction of buildings and bridges.</p></em><br /><br /><p>Matheus Fernandes, a graduate student at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences said in a statement: "We found that the sponge's diagonal reinforcement strategy achieves the highest buckling resistance for a given amount of material, which means that we can build stronger and more resilient structures by intelligently rearranging existing material within the structure."</p> <p><br></p>