From biological morphogenesis to engineering joint design: A bio-inspired algorithm

Nature has developed smart strategies to morph joint contact surfaces as a response local mechanical stimuli. Hence, it is compelling explore the advantages of mimicking these design pieces. Researchers and engineers have generative mostly focused on structural topological shape optimization. However, are not well for surfaces, even though they critical points in engineering structures machinery. This work presents computational tool adaptive surface shaping problems inspired by morphogenesis synovial joints. The algorithm follows cartilage growth rules, which hydrostatic shear octahedral stresses either promote or inhibit an isotropic expansion domain. implementation based finite element method freely available GitHub. A parametric study was performed tune parameters successfully tested two elastic bodies unilateral contact. It evidenced that rules adapted geometry such way got uniformly distributed. step forward scope bio-inspired designs.