The Sandkings Project

[Martin Coleman]

Nambia, Africa

Finding out the structure and function of termite mounds

As human populations grow, so too do the needs for innovative methods for building the structures we inhabit. As changes in climate take effect (through unsustainable practices and excessive fossil fuel use), the search is on for construction methods which achieve sustainability; are sparing in the use of materials; and are light in the consumption of energy the mound of the African termite Macrotermes michaelseni. These mounds, which are common through sub-Saharan Africa, are respiratory devices, built from minerals located deep underground soil by the termites in the colony. The mound powers ventilation of the subterranean nest by capturing energy in wind. They are organs of colony physiology, in the broadest sense, shaped to accommodate and regulate the exchanges of respiratory gases between the nest and atmosphere.The research seeks to understand how structure and function are integrated and embodied in the complex architecture of these mounds. The work is intended to answer three broad questions which will serve as both the foundation for future basic research, and as inspiration for more tangible and immediate innovations in architecture, structural and environmental engineering.

Questions investigated include:
1.What are the detailed architectures which underlie physiological function in termite mounds?
2.How do termite mounds integrate and coordinate multiple sources of energy to perform the overarching function of colony ventilation? and
3.To what extent can the knowledge gained about these phenomena be applied to human construction and hence inform future architectural and engineering construction practice?

The research project is high in adventure, vision and multi-disciplinarity, combining elements of mechanical/materials engineering, construction, and entomology, and assembling a team comprised of the world’s leading authorities in relevant fields. The project concentrates on the biological and engineering aspects of this collaborative effort, to provide a better understanding of homeostasis in termite mounds. The work will point the way towards further research which may eventually lead to new sustainable approaches for human habitation and construction.

http://www.sandkings.co.uk/project.htm