Tensegrity Structures

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Tensegrity Description

The word tensegrity is an invention: it is a contraction of tensional integrity.
Tensegrity describes a structural-relationship principle in which structural
shape is guaranteed by the finitely closed, comprehensively continuous,
tensional behaviors of the system and not by the discontinuous and
exclusively local compressional member behaviors. Tensegrity provides
the ability to yield increasingly without ultimately breaking or coming
asunder. 

• http://www.applied-synergetics.com/ashp/html/tensegrity.html

-From Synergetics 700.011

Tensegrity Structures and 3d weaving

Weaving, Mother of Tensegrity
  

The ancient invention of weaving
reveals in a direct way the basic and
universal properties of natural structure
such as modularity, left and right helical
symmetry, and elementary structural
geometry.

* http://www.kennethsnelson.net/new_structure/structure6_new.htm

Right Helix / Left Helix; Connecting Modules Together

woven columns:

The three columns shown here share an identity with braiding or plaiting.
The struts of the tensegrity column (E.Q. Tower) have a weave pattern
although they are not directlyconnected to one another.

img 01 Woven vinyl column

img 02 Kellum's grip, woven wire rope.

img03 E.Q. Column", a tensegrity
structure shown here with
blue overlayed connections
between struts to identify the
weave pattern.

• http://www.kennethsnelson.net/new_structure/structure4_new.htm

-- RachelWingfield - 16 Nov 2004
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