Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2025

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics
Published on: August 25, 2022
Architected material with independently tunable mass, damping, and stiffness via multi-stability and kinematic
Vinod Ramakrishnan1, Michael J Frazier1
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
Abstract:
We report on a class of architected material lattices that exploit multi-stability and kinematic amplification to independently adjust the local effective mass, damping, and stiffness properties, thereby realizing congruent alterations to the acoustic dispersion response post-fabrication. The fundamental structural tuning element permits a broad range in the effective property space; moreover, its particular design carries the benefit of tuning without altering the original size/shape of the emerging structure. The relation between the tuning element geometry and the achieved variability in effective properties is explored. Bloch's theorem facilitates the dynamic analysis of representative one- and two-dimensional (1D/2D) systems, revealing, e.g., bandgap formation, migration, and closure and positive/negative metadamping in accordance with the tuning element configuration. To demonstrate a utility, we improvise a waveguide by appropriately patterning the tuning element configuration within a 2D system. We believe that the proposed strategy offers a new way to expand the range of performance and functionality of architected materials for elastodynamics.
Related Concept Videos
Stability of structures
Bending of Members Made of Several Materials
Hooke's Law determines stress in each material, stating that stress is proportional to strain but varies due to each...
Magnetic Damping
If, however, the bob is a slotted metal plate, the magnet produces a much smaller effect. When a slotted metal plate enters the field, an emf is induced by the change in flux; however, it is less effective because the slots limit the...
Types of Damping
Damped Oscillations
Although friction and other non-conservative...
Composite Bodies
Composite bodies have widespread applications in mechanical engineering, from automobiles to aircraft to rockets. For example, an automobile wheel comprises...

