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<p>Curiosity is a powerful tool, and combined with the ability to observe the natural world, grants humankind an unique opportunity, the opportunity to wonder why. Why do things exist?, why do they do the things they do?, why is this even possible?</p> <p>Research in our lab is focused on the basic understanding and potential application of biological materials, in particular, biological adhesives produced by marine organisms such as oysters. Oysters produce a cement-like material that is able to withstand the dynamic conditions found in coastal environments. The focus of this dissertation is to lay the basis of the characterization of new biological materials by observing and analyzing its physical properties, to measure the performance of the material in natural conditions and finally to identify the basic components that give the material the properties that we observe. The end goal of this project is to understand the properties of this material so we are able to develop a synthetic system that is able to imitate, as close as possible, what we find in nature. These results, and more importantly, the new questions that emerge from this research, provide a first look at the adhesive system of oysters leading the way to new discoveries in the future.</p>

Considerando a necessidade de adaptar, para mão de obra local e não especializada, os dos ciclos de desenvolvimento de projeto baseado em desempenho do material, objetiva-se comparar processos de projeto de modelos form-making, algorítmico e formfinding, e assim avaliar seus desempenhos estruturais; produzir um material compósito polimérico com fibra natural e, por último, generalizar um ciclo de desenvolvimento de projeto que englobe fabricação com materiais compósitos de morfologias oriundas de processos digitais de projeto. Deste modo, a hipótese avaliada pela tese, e que trata tanto as discussões sobre processo de projeto bem como a adaptação da fabricação para a mão de obra local é: o processo digital performático deve definir o material, além de aferir seu desempenho, já nas fases iniciais do ciclo de desenvolvimento do projeto. Para tanto, procede-se à uma abordagem de pesquisa orientada por projeto conhecida como design research, além metodologia exploratória, experimental, descritiva e de aplicação. Desse modo observou-se que os modelos de formação baseada em desempenho simulados apresentaram resultados menores na deformação máxima e energia elástica de deformação que resultam em estruturas otimizadas que necessitam de menos material para serem produzidas. Isto permitiu concluir que o ciclo de desenvolvimento de projeto proposto pela pesquisa é capaz de viabilizar formas não convencionais geradas por processos digitais de projeto e fabricadas com materiais compósitos poliméricos. / Considering the need to adapt, for local and non-specialized hand labor, the design development cycle based on material performance, this thesis aims to compare design methods through form-making, algorithmic and form-finding models, and thus to evaluate their structural performances; to produce a polymeric composite material with natural fiber and; at last, to generalize a design development cycle that encompasses fabrication with composite materials of morphologies originated by digital design. Thus, the hypothesis evaluated by this thesis, which addresses both the discussions about the design process as well as the adaptation of the manufacturing to the local workforce, is: the digital performative design must define the material, as well as measure its performance, already in the early stages of the design development cycle. In this sense, the study relied on a design driven research approach, known as design research, in addition to an exploratory, application, descriptive and experimental methodology. In this way, it was observed that, the simulated performance-based models presented lower results in the maximum deformation and elastic energy of deformation that resulted in optimized structures that requires less material to be produced. This allowed to conclude, that the design development cycle proposed by this research is capable of enabling non-conventional forms generated by digital design and fabricated with polymer composites.