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We propose a nonlinear acoustic metasurface concept by exploiting the nonlinearity of locally resonant unit cells formed by curved beams. The analytical model is established to explore the nonlinear phenomenon, specifically the second-harmonic generation (SHG) of the nonlinear unit cell, and validated through numerical and experimental studies. By tailoring the phase gradient of the unit cells, nonlinear acoustic metasurfaces are developed to demultiplex different frequency components and achieve anomalous wavefront control of SHG in the transmitted region. To this end, we numerically demonstrate wave steering, wave focusing, and self-bending propagation. Our results show that the proposed nonlinear metasurface provides an effective and efficient platform to achieve significant SHG and separate different harmonic components for wavefront control of individual harmonics. Overall, this study offers an outlook to harness nonlinear effects for acoustic wavefront tailoring and develops potential toward advanced technologies to manipulate acoustic waves.

 

Abstract Origami has great potential for creating deployable structures, however, most studies have focused on their static or kinematic features, while the complex and yet important dynamic behaviors of the origami deployment process have remained largely unexplored. In this research, we construct a dynamic model of a Miura origami sheet that captures the combined panel inertial and flexibility effects, which are otherwise ignored in rigid folding kinematic models but are critical in describing the dynamics of origami deployment. Results show that by considering these effects, the dynamic deployment behavior would substantially deviate from a nominal kinematic unfolding path. Additionally, the pattern geometries influence the effective structural stiffness, and it is shown that subtle changes can result in qualitatively different dynamic deployment behaviors. These differences are due to the multistability of the Miura origami sheet, where the structure may snap between its stable equilibria during the transient deployment process. Lastly, we show that varying the deployment rate can affect the dynamic deployment configuration. These observations are original and these phenomena have not and cannot be derived using traditional approaches. The tools and outcomes developed from this research enable a deeper understanding of the physics behind origami deployment that will pave the way for better designs of origami-based deployable structures, as well as extend our fundamental knowledge and expand our comfort zone beyond current practice. 

Many engineering applications leverage metamaterials to achieve elastic wave control. To enhance the performance and expand the functionalities of elastic waveguides, the concepts of electronic transport in topological insulators have been applied to elastic metamaterials. Initial studies showed that topologically protected elastic wave transmission in mechanical metamaterials could be realized that is immune to backscattering and undesired localization in the presence of defects or disorder. Recent studies have developed tunable topological elastic metamaterials to maximize performance in the presence of varying external conditions, adapt to changing operating requirements, and enable new functionalities such as a programmable wave path. However, a challenge remains to achieve a tunable topological metamaterial that is comprehensively adaptable in both the frequency and spatial domains and is effective over a broad frequency bandwidth that includes a subwavelength regime. To advance the state of the art, this research presents a piezoelectric metamaterial with the capability to concurrently tailor the frequency, path, and mode shape of topological waves using resonant circuitry. In the research presented in this manuscript, the plane wave expansion method is used to detect a frequency tunable subwavelength Dirac point in the band structure of the periodic unit cell and discover an operating region over which topological wave propagation can exist. Dispersion analyses for a finite strip illuminate how circuit parameters can be utilized to adjust mode shapes corresponding to topological edge states. A further evaluation provides insight into how increased electromechanical coupling and lattice reconfiguration can be exploited to enhance the frequency range for topological wave propagation, increase achievable mode localization, and attain additional edge states. Topological guided wave propagation that is subwavelength in nature and adaptive in path, localization, and frequency is illustrated in numerical simulations of thin plate structures. Outcomes from the presented work indicate that the easily integrable and comprehensively tunable proposed metamaterial could be employed in applications requiring a multitude of functions over a broad frequency bandwidth. 

Recently, an electromechanical metamaterial with integrated resonant circuit elements was developed that enables on-demand tailoring of the operating frequency and interface routes for topological wave transmission. However, limitations to the operating frequency region still exist, and a full exploration of the adaptive characteristics of the topological electromechanical metamaterial has yet to be undertaken. To advance the state of the art, this study investigates the ability to enhance the range of operating frequencies for topological wave transmission in a piezoelectric metamaterial by the reconfiguration of lattice symmetries and connection of negative capacitance circuitry. In addition, the capability to modify the interface mode localization is analyzed. The plane wave expansion method is utilized to define a working frequency region for protected topological wave transmission by evaluating a local topological charge. Numerical simulations verify the existence of topologically protected interface modes and illuminate how the localization and shape of these modes can be altered via external circuit parameters. Results show that the reconfiguration of the lattice structure and connection to negative capacitance circuity enhances the operating frequency bandwidth and interface mode localization control, greatly expanding the adaptive metamaterial capabilities.