So what makes this Pringles shape so strong? It has to do with how - TopicsExpress



          

So what makes this Pringles shape so strong? It has to do with how it balances pushes and pulls. All structures have to support weight, and ultimately transfer this weight down to the ground. They can do this in two different ways. There’s compression, where the weight squeezes an object by pushing inwards. An arch is an example of a structure that exists in pure compression. And then there’s tension, where the weight pulls at the ends of an object, stretching it apart. Dangle a chain from its ends, and every part of it will be in pure tension. The hyperbolic paraboloid combines the best of both worlds. The concave U-shaped part is stretched in tension (shown in black) while the convex arch-shaped part is squeezed in compression (shown in red). Through double curvature, this shape strikes a delicate balance between these push and pull forces, allowing it to remain thin yet surprisingly strong.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:20:05 +0000

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