Tunable Shape-Shifting Structures for Military Applications
Abstract
Surfaces that modify their texture (potentially multiscale) in response to either direct control or automatic feedback from external cues (solar light intensity, temperature, incoming waves, etc.) are particularly attractive for military applications as they could be used to change radar, acoustic, thermal or optical signatures to fulfill mission-specific objectives. A natural question would be: how does one design a surface that can dynamically change shape and have its texture smoothly and reversibly reconfigured into specified complex three-dimensional patterns at specific spatial scales? How to control the deformation of active elements made of metamaterials to obtain these textured patterns? The goal of this project was to provide a proof-of-concept answer to this question and, by doing so, effectively bridging the gap between the integration of metamaterials and the design of reconfigurable active structures. A robust computational modeling platform was developed based on non-linear finite element and optimization procedures to design and optimize patterned surfaces by using a clever combination of materials, structural layers, boundary and loading conditions (active controls). The idea was to control three-dimensional surfaces by exploiting their local buckling/wrinkling/folding characteristics triggered by smooth deformation of active reinforcement elements. The proof-of-concept approach was successfully demonstrated. It is possible to deform the surface of a multilayer soft structure with a high level of control to match a given target three-dimensional surface topography by inducing controlled localized buckling. The multiphysics computational platform that was developed is general and can accommodate various types of active materials acting as controllable actuators.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA600989
Entities
People
- Georges Limbert
Organizations
- University of Southampton