Fractals

A guide

The term fractals comes from the Latin word fractus which means broken or irregular or
unsmooth.

Siva Sankari,Sathya Meena,Aarthi, Ashok

Kumar,Seetharaman
Mohamad Habibur Rahman
 Important Characteristics of Fractals

They are recursive; that is, the process of their creation gets
repeated indefinitely;
They are self-similar; that is, copies of the entire fractal may
be found, in reduced form, within the fractal.
 Concept of Fractals

Broadly speaking, mathematical and natural fractals are shapes whose

roughness and fragmentation neither tend to vanish or fluctuate up and down,
but remain essentially unchanged as one zooms in and examination is refined.
Hence the structure of every piece holds the key to the whole structure.

(Mandelbrot, 1989)
 Concept of Fractals

Randomness can be introduced

into this formation. In An Eye for
Fractals,

Michael McGuire

illustrates this by randomly picking

a point on sides of the triangle
instead of the mid-point as
observed above. After only eight
iterations, a mountainside with
rugged rock outcrops can be
observed.
Concept of Fractals
Concept of Fractals
 Concept of Fractals

It was nearly impossible to measure the shape of a cloud or a mountain, until Benoit
Mandelbrot in his studies showed that it was a simple iteration of a particular form
that produced these natural shapes. These shapes were ultimately algorithms.

Euclidean geometry is based on the one dimension line, two dimension plane, three
dimensional volume.

On the other hand, in fractal geometry the dimension is relative , it is more concerned
with the form generation/iteration.(McGuire ,1998, p. 61)
 Ways to Create Geometric fractals
Dimension Definition
(1)A measure of spatial extent, especially width, height, or length.
(2)The least number of independent coordinates required to specify uniquely the
points in a space.

Definition - Self-similarity Dimension

D = log ( number of pieces )

log ( magnification factor )
 Ways to Create Geometric fractals

1 dimensional

2 dimensional

3 dimensional
 Ways to Create Geometric fractals

Easy example:
What is the self-similarity dimension of a cube that has a length = 3, a width = 3,
and a height = 3 ?
We can break the cube up into 27 smaller cubes, or "pieces". Also, if we take one of the
smaller cubes and "magnify" the sides by 3, we end up with a cube that is the same size as
the original. Hence, the "magnification factor" is 3.

Self-similarity dimension = log( number of pieces )

log( magnification factor )
3
Self-similarity dimension = log (27) = log(3) = 3 log(3) = 3
log (3) log(3) log(3)
 Ways to Create Geometric fractals

use a base shape and replace it with a recurring motif shape

Example:
The Koch Triangle for homework, the initial triangle was the base and the shape
that we replaced each side with was the motif
 Ways to Create Geometric fractals

What is the fractal dimension of the Koch Snowflake ?

Self-similarity dimension = log( number of pieces ) = log(4)= 1.26

log( magnification factor ) log(3)
 Types of Fractals

A fractal is an object or quantity that displays self-similarity on all scales. The

object need not exhibit exactly the same structure at all scales, but the same
type of structures must appear on all scales.

Fractals were first discussed by Mandelbrot (Mandelbrot 1978) but the idea was
identified as early as 1925.

Two major categories depending on the way they are created, and the
mathematical method used to calculate them.
 Types of Fractals
From the drawing method point of
view, the first is line or vector fractals.
These are generated from the
replacement of a group of vectors,
such like the Dragon Curve.

The second are fractals that are

generated as a group of points in the
complex plane, such as the
Mandelbrot set and the Julia set.
 Types of Fractals
From the mathematical point of view, we can classify fractals into three major categories.

The first, IFS, iterated function system, like Koch Snowflake, Cantor set, Barnsley's Fern and
the Dragon Curve. This method can generate a fractal from any set of vectors or any
defined curve.

The second is the complex number fractals. They can be two-dimensional of three-
dimensional or multiple-dimensional. They represent a single case of the IFS that is using
the complex numbers or the hyper complex numbers in a Cartesian plane to plot the
fractals. The Mandelbrot set and Julia set are examples of these.

The third is orbit fractals. They are generated by plotting an orbit path in two or three-
dimensional space. Examples include the Bifurcation orbit, Lorenz Attractors, Rossler Attractors,
Henon Attractors, Pickover Attractors, Gingerbreadman, and Martin Attractors. these are associated
with the chaos theory.
 Creating a Fractals

A vector-base fractal is composed of

two parts: the initiator and the
generator.

For example,
The Koch Snowflake starts with an
equilateral triangle as the initiator.

The generator is a line that is divided

into three equal segments.

The middle segment forms an

equilateral triangle.
 Creating a Fractals

By replacing every line of the initiator with the full generator, we get the first iteration of
the snowflake.

By iterating this operation again and again, replacing every line of the new initiator with
the full generator, we end with a figure that approximates a snowflake.

The iteration process should continue to infinity to generate a real Koch Snowflake
fractal, but as we are interested in the evolving form, we only iterate the function for
some finite number of times.

If the generator is changed, inverted, we can develop an entirely different form, the Koch
Antisnowflake.
Creating a Fractals
 Creating a Fractals

Some of the IFS fractals are: Cantor Set, Barnsley's Fern, Koch Antisnowflake, Koch
Snowflake, Box Fractal, Cantor Square Fractal, Cesro Fractal, Dragon Curve, Gosper
Island Fractal, H-Fractal, Sierpinski Curve, Minkowski Sausage.
 Creating a Fractals

In all these fractals, the generator and the initiator have no specific meaning. They are
mostly based on simple geometric shapes: lines, squares, or triangles that are able to
produce an interesting arrangement.

Another interesting method to modify the geometric shapes produced by a fractal comes
from the random selection of the direction and displacement of the initiator.
 Direction and Fractals - a fractals
Normally, the length of the generator is equal to a segment of the initiator and the
direction of the line segments in the generator and initiator are the same
Direction and Fractals - a fractals
 Fractal Geometry in Architecture

Fractal Geometry in Architecture

Inspired from nature we began building, reshaping the world making it

work the way we want. The living and non-living, simple and complex
everything is in harmony. As we shall see fractals appear in architecture for
reasons other than mimicking patterns in nature.
Fractal Geometry in Architecture

One of the best examples would be this sub-Saharan

settlement based on cattle husbandry. It consists of
Kraals for protecting livestock at night, houses and
storage structure.
The image is an extended familys homes; a ring
shaped livestock pen, with a gate on one end. Each
unit is similar growing progressively from the gate.
Diametrically opposite the gate is the largest of the
unit, which is the Chiefs house, situated entirely
inside the ring. At the back of each house is the alter
again entirely inside the ring. This clearly depicts the
status gradient with the ring structure. K-Kulela (to
nurse, to cherish) is how the relation of the Chief of
the class is described. Important areas are to the west,
facing the rising sun. Gradation of wealth is expressed
in the size of the extended family.
Fractal Geometry in Architecture
Fractal Geometry in Architecture
Eiffel Tower
Type Observation tower, Radio
broadcasting tower
Location Paris, France
Height
Roof 300.65 m (986 ft)
Top floor 273.00 m (896 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 3
Lift / Elevator 9
Fractal Geometry in Architecture
 Fractal Geometry in Architecture
The tower that Gustave Eiffel built in Paris deliberately incorporates the idea of a
fractal curve full of branch points.

The tower are not made up of solid beams, but of colossal trusses. A truss is a rigid
assemblage of interconnected submembers, which one cannot deform without
deforming at least one submember.

The fact that the key to strength lies in branch points, popularized by Buckminster
Fuller, was already known to the sophisticated designers of Gothic cathedrals.

The farther we go in applying this principle, the closer we get to a Sierpinski ideal!

The puddled iron (wrought iron) structure of the Eiffel Tower weighs 7,300 tonnes,
while the entire structure, including non-metal components, is approximately
10,000 tonnes.
 Fractal Geometry in Architecture
However, the idea of creating fractal buildings is more challenging due to the
repetition of the construction process at different scales.

Gustave Eiffels tower in Paris, where the repetition of a triangle generates a shape
known amongst fractal geometrists as a Sierpinski Gasket. The Eiffel Tower (1889)
serves as a demonstration of the practical implications of fractal architecture.

If, instead of its spidery construction, the tower had been designed as a solid pyramid,
it would have consumed a large amount of iron, without much added strength. Instead
Eiffel exploited the structural rigidity of a triangle at many different size scales.

The result is a sturdy and cost-effective design.

 Fractal Geometry in Architecture
Coordinates: 245111N 7955
10E
Name
Proper name: Kandariya Mahadeva
Location
Location: Khajuraho, Madhya
Pradesh,India
Architecture and culture
Primary deity: Mahadeva
Architectural styles: North Indian
History
Date built: circa 1050
(Current structure)
Fractal geometry in Kandariya
Creator: King Dhangadeva of
the Chandela dynasty Mahadev temple, Khajuraho
Fractal Geometry in Architecture