Abstract Morphing structures, defined as body panels that are capable of a drastic autonomous shape transformation, have gained importance in the aerospace, automotive, and soft robotics industries since they address the need to switch between shapes for optimal performance over the range of operation. Laminated composites are attractive for morphing because multiple laminae, each serving a specific function, can be combined to address multiple functional requirements such as shape transformation, structural integrity, safety, aerodynamic performance, and minimal actuation energy. This paper presents a review of laminated composite designs for morphing structures. The trends in morphing composites research are outlined and the literature on laminated composites is categorized based on deformation modes and multifunctional approaches. Materials commonly used in morphing structures are classified based on their properties. Composite designs for various morphing modes such as stretching, flexure, and folding are summarized and their performance is compared. Based on the literature, the laminae in an n-layered composite are classified based on function into three types: constraining, adaptive, and prestressed. A general analytical modeling framework is presented for composites comprising the three types of functional laminae. Modeling developments for each morphing mode and for actuation using smart material-based active layers are discussed. Results,more »
Magttice: a lattice model for hard-magnetic soft materials
Magnetic actuation has emerged as a powerful and versatile mechanism for diverse applications, ranging from soft robotics, biomedical devices to functional metamaterials. This highly interdisciplinary research calls for an easy to use and efficient modeling/simulation platform that can be leveraged by researchers with different backgrounds. Here we present a lattice model for hard-magnetic soft materials by partitioning the elastic deformation energy into lattice stretching and volumetric change, so-called ‘magttice’. Magnetic actuation is realized through prescribed nodal forces in magttice. We further implement the model into the framework of a large-scale atomic/molecular massively parallel simulator (LAMMPS) for highly efficient parallel simulations. The magttice is first validated by examining the deformation of ferromagnetic beam structures, and then applied to various smart structures, such as origami plates and magnetic robots. After investigating the static deformation and dynamic motion of a soft robot, the swimming of the magnetic robot in water, like jellyfish's locomotion, is further studied by coupling the magttice and lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). These examples indicate that the proposed magttice model can enable more efficient mechanical modeling and simulation for the rational design of magnetically driven smart structures.
- Publication Date:
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10211811
- Journal Name:
- Soft Matter
- ISSN:
- 1744-683X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Publisher's Version of Record
- https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SM01662D
