A multibody kinematic system approach for the design of shape-morphing mechanism-based metamaterials

Abstract A shape-morphing structure can deform in many different ways and match different target shapes. This versatility is of great advantage for many applications but can also introduce challenges in terms of predicting the envelope of possible matching behaviors. Here, we present a method to assess the shape-matching behavior of shape-morphing structures. The developed technique utilizes a multibody systems approach wherein the structure is represented using a collection of nodes and their associated constraints. Such a representation preserves the kinematic properties of the original structure while allowing for a rigorous treatment of the shape-morphing behavior of the underlying metamaterial. This approach enables us to perform 3D simulations for a multitude of structures and target shapes. We assessed the utility of the proposed method by applying it to a wide range of sample shape-morphing structures. A modular system of joints and links was also 3D printed for the experimental realization of the systems under study. Both our simulations and the experiments performed using the modular system confirmed the ability of the presented technique to capture the true shape-morphing behavior of complex shape-morphing metamaterials.