Static Analysis of Underground Ant Nest Structures

Abstract

Ants are known as nature’s master builders, constructing a wide range of nests, from simple nests with a single channel linking several chambers to ‘underground palaces’ that are several metres wide. However, there is a lack of understanding of the mechanical performance of underground ant nest structures. In this paper, two underground ant nest structures are obtained and digitally modelled by means of liquid paraffin wax infusion shaping, manual excavation and industrial CT scanning, and a finite element model of the underground ant nest structure is established by means of numerical simulation. By simulating people of different weights standing above the nests, the stress distribution characteristics of each chamber in the nests under different pressures are obtained, and the mechanical properties of the underground ant nest structures under static loads are investigated.