A new computer model developed by US researchers could reduce the amount of material for bridges and buildings by up to 90 percent and make future structures far more efficient.
The approach was designed by a research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is based on a process known as topology optimization, which is a computational method that determines the most efficient material placement.
The effort was headed by Josephine Carstensen, PhD, a Gilbert W. Winslow (1937) Career Development Professor in Civil Engineering. As per the team, it bridges the gap between optimized digital designs and practical construction.
Carstensen believes that the technique could significantly reduce both costs and carbon emissions. “There’s an interplay between the materials you’re using, the constructability of designs, and the optimization of the structure,” she said. “You need to be able to address all three at the same time. That’s what we tried to do here.”
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