Blender/Bullet can visualise these things easily!
Building these was very much fun 
I think this could be great tool for explaining things like this.
You can find some explanations and blend file from here: http://www.opendimension.org/blender3d_en/arch_pressure.php
ps. I found some oddities in Bullet (bugs), Iāll get back those later.
ps2. There is some stuff in layers 1 and 3 that keeps collapsing 
ps3. I used the latest Blender from CVS.
Thatās great stuff, Ubuntu! Itās great to see the BGE used in ways that are āout of the boxā (as in, not limited to making standard games.)
I think to carry this idea further, you could explore the development of the arch in architecture from the rounded Romanesque to the pointed arch of the Gothic, and how the masons best approximated the ideal parabolic distribution of force. (It looks like your models are built with parabolas, yes?) Perhaps build some sections based on real buildings?
Anyway, good work!
Interesting use of the game engine.
Maybe hook the pieces together with joints and make them break with enough force. (In other words roll a giant bowling ball through it)
Agreed. I think demos like this can really help improve the bullet physics library. You might want to list those bugs in the bug tracker.
Excellent idea! I guess you already tried this script to create some domical vaults:
http://www.boomspeed.com/crouch/vault-0.0.4.py
Also very interesting structures are geodesic domes. I think building geodesic dome houses could even help Tsunami victims:
http://www.emissionizero.net/Bamboo_Geodesic_Domes.html
and
http://www.bamboo-crafts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1449
some Python script to generate them:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andy.hoā¦c-dome-1-3.zip
A newer script can be found on this website: (Not typical pics) http://members.aol.com/demalion2/geodesic2.html
Thanks for comments!
I think to carry this idea further, you could explore the development of the arch in architecture from the rounded Romanesque to the pointed arch of the Gothic, and how the masons best approximated the ideal parabolic distribution of force. (It looks like your models are built with parabolas, yes?)
That would be interesting allthough Iām not an expert.
The arches should be Gothic arches instead of hemi circles. But maybe this is enough to illustrate the idea. But I could make one comparision with hemi circle arch and parabolic arch. If Bullet gets it right, I should be able to build higher building with parabolic arch, right?
Perhaps build some sections based on real buildings?
The problem with more complex structures is that simulation comes unstable and collapses. You have to leave a gap between elements and when you start the simulation the whole structure falls a little bit and then starts to wobble.
Iām intersted wooden log architecture and Iād like to try to build them. I think log joints may be too much for Bullet but weāll see.
Agreed. I think demos like this can really help improve the bullet physics library. You might want to list those bugs in the bug tracker.
Thanks. Iāll report them when I confirm it is Bullet and not me :eyebrowlift:
Maybe hook the pieces together with joints and make them break with enough force. (In other words roll a giant bowling ball through it)
You can roll that ball allready, no joints neededBut would it be possible to use joints that breaks under certain pressure? Then one could make some simple strength calculationsā¦
Excellent idea! I guess you already tried this script to create some domical vaults:
Sorry, but that seems to dead link. I tried some vault script some time ago but just cant remember which it was.
I have still a lot to learn with Bullet.I really donāt understand the relation with damping settings and mass and friction settings. What is the physical equivalent for damping?
There was someone who posted a .blend showing joined objects that break when enough force is applied. Search for a topic by someone named Feltstone
