Crab & Monolith
Crab
I've been puzzling over how to support a large span with the least material—triangular trusses keep the forces in a straight line, but I wonder if there's a more optimal shape. What do you think?
Monolith
Triangles keep forces straight; if you can let the shape carry bending, a curved arch or tensegrity can save material, but every member still needs to be in pure compression or tension. Try a geodesic shape—it spreads load more evenly and often needs less material.
Crab
Geodesic is a solid idea—loads spread evenly, each member stays in compression. But then you have to keep a lot of joints, which adds weight and complexity. Maybe a hybrid: a semi‑elliptical arch with a few key struts that lock it in place. That could keep the bending in the arch and the joints minimal. Have you plotted the stress distribution yet?
Monolith
I haven’t run a full analysis yet, but a semi‑elliptical arch with a few diagonal struts will put most members in compression. The key is to keep the arch’s curvature tight enough that the joint forces stay small; otherwise the added joints offset the savings. I’ll sketch the load paths and let you see where the stresses peak.
Crab
That sounds logical—tight curvature keeps the joints in compression and reduces bending moments. While you sketch the load paths, double‑check the span‑to‑rise ratio; if the rise is too shallow the arch will flex more than you expect. Once you have the stress peaks, we can tweak the strut angles to keep every member well below the material’s yield. Keep me posted on the numbers.
Monolith
Got it. I'll compute the span‑to‑rise ratio, map the stresses, then adjust the strut angles. Will keep you updated.
Crab
Sounds good—once you have the numbers, we can iterate quickly and lock in the most efficient geometry. Let me know what you find.