Pseudo-bistable morphing composites

A new concept for a morphing structure is introduced, using a combination of viscoelas- tic and composite materials. The structure is said to be pseudo-bistable, as it exhibits the following behaviour upon actuation. First, it snaps into a buckled state, then, once the actuation is removed, it remains in its snapped configuration for a period of time, before quickly returning to its initial state. This can be achieved by the choice of an appropriate geometry and boundary conditions. The material also needs to be sufficiently viscoelastic so as to trigger the snap-back. In this paper the principles of pseudo-bistability are first explained using a discrete model, then the link between discrete and continuum structures is established. Finally, the application to composite structures is investigated.