MIKADO – lightweight framework made of composite tubes and cast nodes

Trusses have a high load-bearing capacity with a relatively low dead weight and are used, among other things, for bridges, stage construction, and chassis.

The Mikado project aims to reduce the weight of the truss, increase its application radius and enable a sustainable repair concept through detachable nodes.

• For this purpose, braided pultrusion produces thin tubes with a diameter of 1-2 mm, which are combined with continuous fibers in a downstream process to form a main tube. This results in low weight, high kink resistance, and the possibility of functional integration via the existing hollow structure.
• The nodal points are designed and optimized in analogy to the branching of a tree crown. Here, the force transmission is initiated using harmonic radii and transferred to the overall structure. The structural design is based on that of bamboo, i.e., the nodal points are designed as a hollow structure.
• The elements are detachably joined by bracing, which enables multifunctional use.