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

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

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 energyefficient schemes to reconfigure the structure. This new concept for reconfiguration uses heteroclinic connections to transition the structure between different unstable equalenergy states. In an ideal structure model zero net energy input is required for the recon- figuration, 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 con- figurations 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.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: McInnes was support by a Leverhulme Trust Fellowship and a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McInnes, Professor Colin
• Authors: Zhang, J., and McInnes, C. R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• Journal Name: Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0888-3270
• ISSN (Online): 1096-1216
• Published Online: 10 January 2017
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd.
• First Published: First published in Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing 91: 81-92
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher