Universally bistable shells with nonzero Gaussian curvature for two-way transition waves

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Nonlinear Dynamics

Background:

• Nonlinear energy landscapes in curved shells are limited by thickness due to bending energy.
• Existing bistable shells lose functionality with increased thickness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a strategy for creating doubly curved shells that remain bistable regardless of thickness.
• To investigate the nonlinear dynamics of 1D arrays of these universally bistable shells coupled by fluid cavities.
• To overcome limitations in transition wave propagation distance caused by dissipation.

Main Methods:

• Design and fabrication of universally bistable doubly curved shells.
• Modeling and simulation of 1D arrays of these shells coupled by compressible fluid cavities.
• Analysis of nonlinear dynamic response and transition wave propagation.
• Development of strategy for tunable energy landscapes in thick bistable shells.

Main Results:

• Universally bistable shells were realized, maintaining bistability for any thickness.
• 1D arrays supported bidirectional transition waves with tunable characteristics.
• Dissipation limited wave propagation distance due to equal energy minima.
• Thick bistable shells with tunable energy landscapes were developed and strategically placed to extend wave propagation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed universally bistable shells offer a pathway to robust bistable structures for any thickness.
• Tunable transition waves in 1D arrays show potential for wave-based information processing.
• Strategies for overcoming dissipation are crucial for long-range wave propagation in such systems.