A review of ant nests and their implications for architecture

Yang, Guanghong, Zhou, Wei, Qu, Wenjun, Yao, Wu, Zhu, Peng and Xu, Jing 2022. A review of ant nests and their implications for architecture. Buildings 12 (12) , 2225. 10.3390/buildings12122225

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Abstract

This paper discusses the latest progress in research on ant nests and explores innovative scientific concepts associated with underground ant nests from the perspective of bionics. The methods used by scholars to study the structure of ant nests and the interaction between the structure itself and the individual ants are investigated. The structural characteristics of the ant nest, its internal environment and ventilation characteristics are discussed in detail. In addition, this paper presents an innovative project in which the effect of underground ant nests on soil geotechnical properties and the effect of calcined ant nest soil powder, from the perspective of civil engineering, are addressed. Practical examples of the application of the structural and inter-relational aspects of subterranean ant nests in the field of architectural bionics are also provided, from the perspectives of construction, morphology, function and material. This review attempts to integrate civil engineering, architecture and biology, enlighten architects and biologists on converging their thinking, provide new ideas regarding underground ant colony nests, and provide references for long-term human habitation.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Engineering
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Type: open-access
Publisher:	MDPI
ISSN:	2075-5309
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 January 2023
Date of Acceptance:	13 December 2022
Last Modified:	27 May 2023 13:53
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/155463

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