Cockroach legs could hold key to better aircraft design

Aircraft use these types of structures to reduce weight, but they need to be able to resist buckling to retain their strength and structural integrity. In medicine, thin tube-like structures have a range of applications, including in catheters.

“Thin-walled tubes are prone to failure by buckling,” said Professor David Taylor, one of the lead researchers.

“It is difficult to predict the loading conditions which cause buckling, especially for tubes of non-standard cross section. Think of a drinking straw. If you bend it, it will suddenly give.”

The scientists are examining how the legs of locusts, bees, stick insects and cockroaches buckle and bend when pressure is applied to them. These insects were chosen for the variety in their leg structures and the different ways in which they use their legs in their natural environments. Stick insects, for example have five longitudinal ridges running down their legs. 

“We discovered that these ridges do not prevent buckling, but they do help the legs stay intact,” explained Taylor.