Session: 01-01-01: General Topics of Aerospace Structures 1

Paper Number: 152241

152241 - Foldable Architected Instability-Based Metamaterials 

Architected Instability-based Metamaterials (AIMs) consist of elementary building blocks that undergo multistable geometric phase transformations. By tailoring unit cell geometry and topology, these materials can dissipate energy without permanent deformation. This unique capability makes AIMs especially well-suited for impact attenuation in applications like the landing gear of space rovers, where they protect scientific instruments and mission payloads from severe impacts. However, like most architected materials, AIMs, while effective at absorbing and dissipating energy, are typically neither deployable nor reconfigurable. The ability to remain compact during launch and expand upon deployment reduces the need for bulky, rigid landing gear, while still providing robust protection and functionality. This paper presents, for the first time, a class of foldable 2D AIMs that feature all possible plane-filling tessellations of identical regular polygons, resulting in nearly isotropic energy dissipation. By integrating 2D AIMs with a compact folding kirigami technique known as the Hamiltonian circuit method as well as a hinge-locking mechanism, we develop a lightweight, deployable, and impact-resistant structure. The 2D AIMs can be folded compactly before launching and deployed to a functional metamaterial for impact attenuation upon reaching its destination. The deployment process is demonstrated through 3D-printed specimens, whereas the performance of the deployed 2D AIMs is investigated through quasi-static loading conditions using both Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and experimental testing.

Presenting Author: Devin Young The University of Texas at Austin

Presenting Author Biography: Devin is a first-year PhD student in Structural Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, with a keen interest in utilizing architected materials and deployable structures for extraterrestrial construction.