Active/adaptive building structural components

Abstract

A building, comprises at least a first wall including a plurality of first members each having a fixed length and a plurality of second members each having a variable length, the first members and the second members being coupled in a lattice structure. The second members are configured to lengthen or shorten in response to structural strain or pressure caused by thermal cycling of the building.

1 . A building, comprising:
 at least a first wall that includes a plurality of rigid load-bearing first members and a plurality of second members coupled together in a lattice structure, the plurality of first members each having a fixed length, and the plurality of rigid second members each having a variable length and cooperatively forming an expansion/contraction joint between different sets of first members;   wherein the second members have a static load-bearing mode when incident forces are below a first threshold, and a non-static mode when incident forces are above the first threshold so as to lengthen or shorten in response to imposed loads on the building thereby avoiding structural damage to the first members.   
     
     
         2 . The building of  claim 1 , wherein lattice is at least a two-dimensional lattice. 
     
     
         3 . The building of  claim 2 , wherein lattice is at least a three-dimensional lattice. 
     
     
         4 . The building of  claim 2 , wherein at least a first group of the second members are arranged parallel to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The building of  claim 4 , wherein at least a second group of the second members are arranged non-parallel to the first group of the second members. 
     
     
         6 . The building of  claim 1 , wherein each of the second members includes a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The building of  claim 6 , wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders are controlled by a hydraulic valve that causes the hydraulic cylinders to be static for a first range of force [ 0  to force F 1 ], and moveable for a second range of force greater than force F 1 . 
     
     
         8 . The building of  claim 6 , wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders are controlled by a hydraulic pumping system under direction of one or more controllers configured according to a transfer function. 
     
     
         9 . The building of  claim 8 , wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders are controlled by a common hydraulic pumping system under direction of one or more controllers configured to control the hydraulic cylinders according to a transfer function. 
     
     
         10 . The building of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer function causes the hydraulic cylinders to be static for a first range of force [ 0  to force F 1 ], and moveable for a second range of force greater than force F 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The building of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer function uses sensed forces from a plurality of second members to control the length or movement of at least one second member. 
     
     
         12 . The building of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer function uses sensed lengths from a plurality of second members to control the length or movement of at least one second member. 
     
     
         13 . The building of  claim 8 , wherein the transfer function uses sensed acceleration to control the length or movement of at least one second member. 
     
     
         14 . The building of  claim 4 , wherein the first members and the second members are arranged in a Cartesian matrix. 
     
     
         15 . The building of  claim 4 , wherein the first members and the second members are arranged in a triangular matrix. 
     
     
         16 . The building of  claim 4 , wherein the first members and the second members are arranged in a hexagonal matrix. 
     
     
         17 . The building of  claim 1 , wherein the imposed load is caused by thermal expansion or contraction of the building. 
     
     
         18 . The building of  claim 1 , wherein the imposed load is caused by incident wind on the building. 
     
     
         19 . The building of  claim 6 , wherein each first member includes a hollow drawn-steel portion.