Programmable Surface Dimpling of Textile Metamaterials for Aerodynamic Control.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Fluid Dynamics
• Aerodynamics

Background:

• Static aerodynamic surfaces struggle with dynamic conditions, limiting performance in fields like competitive sports.
• Textile properties often mismatch highly variable wind-speed profiles encountered in activities such as cycling and skiing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a textile metamaterial capable of variable aerodynamic profiles via a stretch-induced dimpling mechanism.
• To characterize and optimize this metamaterial's aerodynamic performance for dynamic environments.

Main Methods:

• Wind-tunnel experiments were conducted to measure the variable aerodynamic performance of the dimpling mechanism.
• Finite Element (FE) simulations were employed to explore the design space and identify optimal textile metamaterial architectures.
• The effect of dimple size on aerodynamic performance was investigated.

Main Results:

• Controlling dimple size allows tailoring textile aerodynamic performance for specific wind-speed ranges.
• Drag force can be modulated by up to 20% at target wind-speeds.
• Active control of textile aerodynamics was demonstrated, enabling sustained optimal performance across dynamic wind profiles.

Conclusions:

• Surface dimpling in textile metamaterials offers a new approach to variable fluid-dynamic properties.
• This technology has transformative applications for wearables, aerospace, maritime, and civil engineering systems.
• The findings establish a new paradigm for adaptive aerodynamic surfaces.