Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs
Spiders, silks and webs have adapted, survived, and prospered in most ecosystems for millions of years, despite being subjected to environmental and human pressures. They are the proof of an evolutionary success, in part due to the exceptional mechanical and biological properties of their silks but...
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| Format: | Thesis |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139255 |
| _version_ | 1826200545368473600 |
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| author | Su, Isabelle |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Su, Isabelle |
| author_sort | Su, Isabelle |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Spiders, silks and webs have adapted, survived, and prospered in most ecosystems for millions of years, despite being subjected to environmental and human pressures. They are the proof of an evolutionary success, in part due to the exceptional mechanical and biological properties of their silks but also the various web geometries they can build, from simplistic T-webs, to typical 2D orb webs, to complex 3D webs. Silk’s microscale thickness and the highly complex spatial network are significant challenges towards quantifying and visualizing the intricate architectures, mechanics, and construction of 3D webs. In this work, we aim to provide a consistent and automated non-destructive in-situ experimental and computational framework for quantifying and validating what has been observed in nature. A better understanding of the biological and mechanical performance of the 3D spider webs could inspire sustainable high-performance fiber networks and complex assembly strategies.
Our framework begins with the first automatic imaging method for quantifying 3D spider web geometries. We use image processing on high-resolution images of slices of the web illuminated by a sliding sheet laser to automatically quantify and model the web. Using the web model and coarse-grain bead-spring particle dynamic simulations, we investigate the important role of the interplay between nonlinear behavior of dragline silk and the complex and redundant structure of the web in the mechanical and functional performance of the web. We investigate and quantify the structure and mechanics of a 3D spider web at varying stages of construction. This is accomplished by imaging, modelling and simulations throughout the web-building process to capture changes in the natural web geometry and the mechanical properties. Finally, we introduce a novel method for visualizing complex 3D spider web using sonification, a visualization method through sound. We developed an intuitive, interactive, and immersive sonification platform that, by translating the complex 3D fiber network architecture into sound, can be used for 3D spider web data and creative exploration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:38:03Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/139255 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:38:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1392552022-01-15T03:39:55Z Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs Su, Isabelle Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Spiders, silks and webs have adapted, survived, and prospered in most ecosystems for millions of years, despite being subjected to environmental and human pressures. They are the proof of an evolutionary success, in part due to the exceptional mechanical and biological properties of their silks but also the various web geometries they can build, from simplistic T-webs, to typical 2D orb webs, to complex 3D webs. Silk’s microscale thickness and the highly complex spatial network are significant challenges towards quantifying and visualizing the intricate architectures, mechanics, and construction of 3D webs. In this work, we aim to provide a consistent and automated non-destructive in-situ experimental and computational framework for quantifying and validating what has been observed in nature. A better understanding of the biological and mechanical performance of the 3D spider webs could inspire sustainable high-performance fiber networks and complex assembly strategies. Our framework begins with the first automatic imaging method for quantifying 3D spider web geometries. We use image processing on high-resolution images of slices of the web illuminated by a sliding sheet laser to automatically quantify and model the web. Using the web model and coarse-grain bead-spring particle dynamic simulations, we investigate the important role of the interplay between nonlinear behavior of dragline silk and the complex and redundant structure of the web in the mechanical and functional performance of the web. We investigate and quantify the structure and mechanics of a 3D spider web at varying stages of construction. This is accomplished by imaging, modelling and simulations throughout the web-building process to capture changes in the natural web geometry and the mechanical properties. Finally, we introduce a novel method for visualizing complex 3D spider web using sonification, a visualization method through sound. We developed an intuitive, interactive, and immersive sonification platform that, by translating the complex 3D fiber network architecture into sound, can be used for 3D spider web data and creative exploration. Ph.D. 2022-01-14T14:59:45Z 2022-01-14T14:59:45Z 2021-06 2021-06-15T18:07:27.613Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139255 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright MIT http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Su, Isabelle Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs |
| title | Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs |
| title_full | Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs |
| title_fullStr | Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs |
| title_short | Imaging, Mechanics, Construction, and Sonification of Three-Dimensional Spider Webs |
| title_sort | imaging mechanics construction and sonification of three dimensional spider webs |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139255 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT suisabelle imagingmechanicsconstructionandsonificationofthreedimensionalspiderwebs |