Bistable structures, exemplified by the Venus flytrap [1] and slap bracelets (see Fig. 1), can tranform quickly from one functional shape to the other upon mechanical actuation. Potential applications can be found in mechanical/electromechanical devices from bio-inspired robots to deployable aerocraft wings. Related challenges emerged include theoretically modeling the spontaneous curving and buckling of thin objects such as leaves, flowers, nanohelices, nanoscrolls and flexible electronics [2, 3]. Despite the significant modeling efforts about such large deformation of shell structures [4, 5], the nonlinear geometric effects remain poorly understood. Here we present a continuum elasticity theory that incorporates geometric nonlinearity for large deformation of shells, and investigates, through both theoretical analysis and table-top experiments, the geometric and mechanical conditions for bistability, and the role of edge effects. Our work classifies the conditions for bistability, defines the design space for bistable morphing structures, and extends the theory of plates and shells with large deformation. A mechanical framework is provided for analyzing morphogenesis associated with growth and instability, which will also facilitate the design of multistable structures, from bio-inspired robots to deployable structures in aerospace applications.
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ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference
June 20–23, 2012
Fajardo, Puerto Rico, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Bioengineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4480-9
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Bistable Structures Exhibiting Snap-Through Instability: From Slap Bracelets to the Venus Flytrap
Zi Chen,
Zi Chen
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
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Qiaohang Guo,
Qiaohang Guo
Fuzhou University, Fujian, China
FuJian University of Technology, Fujian, China
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Carmel Majidi,
Carmel Majidi
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
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David J. Srolovitz,
David J. Srolovitz
Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore
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Mikko Haataja
Mikko Haataja
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
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Zi Chen
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
Qiaohang Guo
Fuzhou University, Fujian, China
FuJian University of Technology, Fujian, China
Carmel Majidi
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Wenzhe Chen
Fuzhou University, Fujian, China
David J. Srolovitz
Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore
Mikko Haataja
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Paper No:
SBC2012-80492, pp. 749-750; 2 pages
Published Online:
July 19, 2013
Citation
Chen, Z, Guo, Q, Majidi, C, Chen, W, Srolovitz, DJ, & Haataja, M. "Bistable Structures Exhibiting Snap-Through Instability: From Slap Bracelets to the Venus Flytrap." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference. ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Parts A and B. Fajardo, Puerto Rico, USA. June 20–23, 2012. pp. 749-750. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/SBC2012-80492
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