Abstract:
Orb webs absorb the impact energy of prey and
transmit vibratory information to the spider with
minimal structural damage. The structural properties
of the web and the arrangement of threads within the
web affect transmission time during the prey impact.
The objective of the present study is to determine
damping, stiffness, and transmissibility of healthy and
damaged spider webs. Experimental results show that
stiffness and transmissibility diminish from the inner
to outer spiral threads and gradient variation in the
structural properties of spiral threads enhances signal
transmission capability toward the centre regardless
of the position of prey impact within the healthy
web. Spiral threads exhibit excellent prey retention
properties due to their stretching capability. Kinetic
energy produced by prey is absorbed in the threads,
which help the spider to analyse the prey retention
properties and also determine the response time. The
minor damage (up to 25%) does not alter the basic
characteristics of the web due to self-adjustment of
tension within the web. Damping, natural frequency,
stiffness and transmissibility decrease with the
increase in the percentage of damaged web. The
present study addresses the structural sustainability
of the spider web irrespective of minor damages and
also provides guidance in designing the structures
under impact.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Bioinspired
materials and surfaces for green science and
technology’.
