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.