Abstract
Termite nests have been widely studied as effective examples for ventilation and thermoregulation. However, the mechanisms by which these properties are controlled by the microstructure of the outer walls remain un- clear. Here, we combine multiscale X-ray imaging with three-dimensional flow field simulations to investigate the impact of the architectural design of nest walls on CO2 exchange, heat transport and water drainage. We show that termites build outer walls that contain both small and percolating large pores at the microscale. The network of larger microscale pores enhances permeability by one to two orders of magnitude compared to the smaller pores alone, and it increases CO2 diffusivity up to eight times. In addition, the pore network offers enhanced thermal insulation and allows quick drainage of rainwater, thereby restoring the ventilation and providing structural stability to the wet nest.
Original language | English |
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Article number | eaat8520 |
Journal | Science Advances |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 22 Mar 2019 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
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Kamaljit Singh
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society - Associate Professor
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Institute for GeoEnergy Engineering - Associate Professor
Person: Academic (Research & Teaching)