A Novel Design of Multistable Metastructure With Nonuniform Cross Section

Abstract Multistable metastructure can be used as a reusable energy-absorbing structure which is usually accompanied by relatively low energy absorption capacity. In this work, a novel structure with variable cross-sectional width was designed to improve the energy dissipation efficiency of multistable structures. To this end, we theoretically obtained the specific optimization configuration of the bistable unit cell structure. Compared to the traditional bistable unit cell structure with uniform curved beam, the as-obtained optimized structure showed improved mechanical properties, while maximum strain remained relatively reduced during deformation. Systematic parameter analyses were carried out through theoretical analysis, finite element simulation, and experimental verification to determine the optimized range of the unit cell structure. Compared to the traditional structure with the same maximum strain during deformation, the mechanical properties like the maximum peak force, minimum negative force, and energy absorption efficiency of the optimized structure increased by at least 155%, 91%, and 136%, respectively.