Hydraulic Action Creates Structural Rigidity

Biological Strategy

AskNature Team

Prevent Buckling

When a living system undergoes compression to the extent that it causes structural damage, it results in buckling. For example, if a person pushes down on the top or the side of a paper cup, the cup’s wall will eventually give way, or buckle. Although a living system could add material to strengthen a structure, this requires expending precious energy. Instead, it must use energy and materials conservatively to avoid buckling, strengthening structures through careful placement of materials to resist, absorb, or deflect compressive forces. For example, instead of one long, tubular stem, some plants like bamboo have stronger nodes scattered along their stems. When compressed, these nodes keep the round stems from taking on an oval shape that weakens the structure and could result in buckling.

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The penis of humans avoids buckling by hydraulic action of increased blood flow into the corpora cavernosa.

“Two major branches of engineering mechanics are fluid mechanics and
structural mechanics, with many practical problems involving
the effect of the first on the second. An example
is the design of an aircraft’s wings to bend within reasonable limits
without
breaking under the action of lift forces exerted by
the air flowing over them; another is the maintenance of the structural
integrity of a dam designed to hold back a water
reservoir which would exert very large forces on it. Similarly, fluid
and
structural mechanics are involved in the
engineering analysis of erectile function: it is the hydraulic action of
increased
blood flow into the corpora cavernosa that creates
the structural rigidity necessary to prevent collapse of the penile
column.”
(Udelson 2007:1031)