Ideengeber Holz – ein Überblick | Wood: a provider of ideas – an overview

Abstract

Owing to its durability, load capacity, wide-ranging dimensions and manifold variations wood is an exemplary prototypical material and an excellent provider of ideas. This article gives an overview on both existing and possible implementations. Examples, such as reinforced concrete or bicycle valves, show an unconscious imitation of «wood inventions» like cell wall structure or bordered pits. Moreover, proper adaptations of wood principles have also been used in the development of protective clothing, wood ceramics and in a self-regulating shape adaptation of components. In addition to these successful adaptations, we present new research projects on the structure principles of wood.