Using instability to reconfigure smart structures in a spring-mass model

Zhang, Jiaying and McInnes, Colin R. (2017) Using instability to reconfigure smart structures in a spring-mass model. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 91. pp. 81-92. ISSN 0888-3270 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2016.11.029)

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Abstract

Multistable phenomenon have long been used in mechanism design. In this paper a subset of unstable configurations of a smart structure model will be used to develop energy-efficient schemes to reconfigure the structure. This new concept for reconfiguration uses heteroclinic connections to transition the structure between different unstable equal-energy states. In an ideal structure model zero net energy input is required for the reconfiguration, compared to transitions between stable equilibria across a potential barrier. A simple smart structure model is firstly used to identify sets of equal-energy unstable configurations using dynamical systems theory. Dissipation is then added to be more representative of a practical structure. A range of strategies are then used to reconfigure the smart structure using heteroclinic connections with different approaches to handle dissipation.

ORCID iDs

Zhang, Jiaying ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7308-5090 and McInnes, Colin R.;
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