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Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Flexural Rigidity Measurements of Biopolymers Using Gliding Assays
Published on: November 9, 2012
Direction-dependent bending resistance of 3D printed bio-inspired composites with asymmetric 3D articulated tiles
1Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America.
Abstract:
Inspired by the protective armors in nature, composites with asymmetric 3D articulated tiles attached to a soft layer are designed and fabricated via a multi-material 3D printer. The bending resistance of the new designs are characterized via three-point bending experiments. Bending rigidity, strength, and final deflection of the designs are quantified and compared when loaded in two different in-plane and two different out-of-plane directions. It is found that in general, the designs with articulated tiles show direction-dependent bending behaviors with significantly increased bending rigidity, strength, and deflection to final failure in certain loading directions, as is attributed to the asymmetric tile articulation (asymmetric about the mid-plane of tiles) and an interesting sliding-induced auxetic effect. Analytical, numerical, and experimental analyses are conducted to unveil the underlying mechanisms.
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