Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces
Minimal surface is an area minimizing surface whose mean curvature at any point is zero, and is often represented by the shapes of soap bubbles that span wire frames. Some minimal surfaces have crystalline structures that repeat themselves periodically in three dimensions. Many of these surfaces were discovered by Alan Schoen who analysed them in his technical report, ‘Infinite Periodic Minimal Surfaces without Self-Intersection‘, written in 1970. I first started researching the different types of triply periodic minimal surfaces to understand the rules behind their structures.
Schwarz Surface
Neovius Surface
Lidinoid Surface
Gyroid Surface
Folded Hyperbolic Paraboloid
Parametric Kerf Bending
I have also been investigating different types of lattice hinges or cutting patterns that could help fold a hyperbolic paraboloid from a single sheet rigid material.
