Multi-stable cylindrical lattices

Alberto Pirrera, Xavier Lachenal, Stephen Daynes, Paul M. Weaver, Isaac V. Chenchiah

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present a cylindrical lattice structure that mimics the behaviour of the virus bacteriophage T4 in having two (or more) stable states which differ in their radii and length. While the virus achieves bistability through molecular mechanisms we use composite materials to exploit the interplay between pre-stress, material properties and structural geometry. We demonstrate (computationally) that multi-stability is a robust phenomenon. We also show (analytically) that it is possible to choose the design variables so that the energy is independent of the radius, thus resulting in every state of the structure being stable.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2087-2107
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids
Volume61
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bacteriophage T4
  • Bistability
  • Cylindrical lattice
  • Morphing structure
  • Nonlinear

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