Sea mussels to inspire offshore wind farm solutions
Summary
Engineers are yet to find a reliable way to fix cables from the foundation into the ground in a system that can withstand the weight of turbines and the forces of rough oceans and high winds. Researchers believe that the design principles of the mussels’ multiple thread-plaque system could inspire new ways to securely join dissimilar man-made materials, preventing them from pulling apart when subjected to stress and weight. “Mussels can achieve a steadfast grip on pretty much any material surface even while being pounded by the sea,” said Nottingham University’s professor Tao Liu, project leader. Existing research has demonstrated that a plaque core can achieve good load-bearing capacity and strength under tension and shear (forces that cause layers or parts to slide against each other in opposite directions). Using a type of 3D printing technology known as electron beam lithography, the team will recreate surface texture patterns of materials such as silica glass, silicone rubber and polycarbonate down to the micro-scale.