Dynamics of Elastic Beams with Embedded Fluid-Filled Parallel-Channel Networks

A pressurized fluid-filled parallel-channel network embedded in an elastic beam, asymmetrically to the neutral plane, will create a deformation field within the beam. Deformation due to embedded fluidic networks is currently studied in the context of soft actuators and soft-robotic applications. Expanding on this concept, configurations can be designed so that the pressure in the channel network is created directly from external forces acting on the beam, and thus can be viewed as passive solid-fluid composite structures. We approximate the deformation of such structures and relate the fluid pressure and geometry of the network to a continuous deformation-field function. This enables the design of networks creating steady arbitrary deformation fields as well as to eliminate deformation created by external time-varying forces, thus increasing the effective rigidity of the beam. In addition, by including the effects of the deformation created by the channel network on the beam inertia, we can modify the response of the beam to external time-varying forces. We present a scheme to design channel networks that create predefined oscillating deformation patterns in response to external oscillating forces. The ability to include inertial effects is relevant to the design of dynamic soft robots and soft actuators. Our results are illustrated and validated by numerical computations.