A Unified High-Order Semianalytical Model and Numerical Simulation for Bistable Polymer Composite Structures.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Composite Structures

Background:

• Bistable polymer composite structures are morphing shells capable of maintaining two stable configurations.
• Current research primarily focuses on cross-ply laminates and antisymmetric cylindrical shells.
• Predicting and understanding bistable behavior is crucial for advanced material applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a unified semianalytical model for predicting bistability in polymer composite structures.
• To extend a higher-order theoretical model for enhanced prediction accuracy with minimal computational overhead.
• To identify key factors influencing the stable characteristics of bistable shells.

Main Methods:

• Development of a unified semianalytical model based on extensible deformation and nonlinear plate/shell theory.
• Extension of a higher-order theoretical model to improve prediction accuracy without increasing degrees of freedom.
• Comparison of various model orders to determine factors affecting bistability.
• Prediction of corner transversal displacement to address challenges like bifurcation points and stable curvatures.

Main Results:

• A unified semianalytical model effectively predicts bistability in morphing shells.
• Higher-order model extension improves accuracy while maintaining computational efficiency.
• Key factors influencing stable characteristics of cross-ply laminates and antisymmetric cylindrical shells are identified.
• Bifurcation points and stable state curvatures are accurately predicted.

Conclusions:

• The developed theoretical models provide accurate predictions for bistable polymer composite structures.
• The unified approach offers a computationally efficient method for analyzing morphing shells.
• Validation through nonlinear finite element analysis confirms the model's reliability.