Many plant materials, including wood, cork, plant parenchyma, leaves and stems, as well as animal tissues, such as trabecular bone and lung alveoli, have a cellular structure. Their mechanical behaviour can be understood in terms of the models for engineering honeycombs and foams. New projects being developed include: the use of nanofibrillar cellulose, which has exceptional mechanical properties for its weight, in composites and foams; and structural bamboo composites, similar to wood products such as oriented strand board and glue laminated beams.
