re: Is it just neat,

Off Topic » in reply to Is it just neat,

TB — 3/21/2007 12:53:57 AM (archived)

To oversimplify a bit, a curved shell is very strong across the direction it's curved in. A tube of paper is quite stiff if you try to bend it, but easily squeezed from the sides. A saddle shape is curved in all directions, and has a lot of strength. You see such shapes covering giant airport terminals and such.

The whole thread (19 posts)

From the land of lower math-- - ER - 3/20/2007 11:19:42 PM
- Potato chip. (n/t) - Bowser - 3/21/2007 12:54:46 AM
  - Now, add those ridges... - TB - 3/21/2007 12:59:34 AM
    - Then stick a rat under it, and hold on, pard! (n/t) - Bowser - 3/21/2007 2:10:48 AM
- Saddle (n/t) - TB - 3/20/2007 11:22:53 PM
  - Ah Hah! Warning, spoiler... - ER - 3/20/2007 11:43:42 PM
    - RE:"can the terms convex/concave be rigorously defined? " - R.L. - 3/21/2007 1:16:48 AM
      - that should read "2nd derivative " - R.L. - 3/21/2007 1:15:07 PM
        
        I should have known that too. (n/t) - ER - 3/21/2007 1:47:08 PM
        
        The Calculus prof I had gave us 'the smiley face rule' - R.L. - 3/21/2007 2:06:57 PM
      - Correct. I should have known that. (n/t) - ER - 3/21/2007 1:00:39 PM
    - I was the wrong person to ask... - TB - 3/21/2007 12:39:03 AM
      - Is it just neat, - ER - 3/21/2007 12:42:50 AM
        
        re: Is it just neat, - TB - 3/21/2007 12:53:57 AM
        
        hyperbolic paraboloid in Architecture - SDG - 3/21/2007 2:00:42 PM
        
        re: hyperbolic paraboloid in Architecture - Arrell - 3/21/2007 2:15:19 PM
        
        re: hyperbolic paraboloid in Architecture - TB - 3/22/2007 1:17:40 AM
        
        missing image - SDG - 3/21/2007 2:02:52 PM
  - Oh, crap. Sorry. - TB - 3/20/2007 11:23:32 PM

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