CE 6690: Project

Morphing of Multistable Variable-stiffness

Laminates using MFC actuators
Presented by,
Anilkumar P. M.
Roll Number: CE16M048

Guide(s): Prof. B. N. Rao, Dr. ir. Eelco L. Jansen

16.05.2018 Slide No: 1

 Content of the presentation

• Introduction
• Aim of the research
• Analytical studies
• Numerical studies
• Optimization Scheme
• Conclusion

Slide No: 2
 Introduction
Morphing structures Bistability
• Birds flapping wings concept.
• NASA’s Morphing Wing Project.

Normal aircraft wing

Morphing Wing
Cured shapes of laminates
(Reference: NASA) (Reference: Haldar et al.)

Slide No: 3
 Introduction
Morphing MFC actuators

SMA: Alloys
Actuation SMP: Polymers
MFC actuators

Figure: MFC actuator (/www.smart-material.com/)

Slide No: 4
 Introduction-MFC

d11 effect, Elongator d12 effect, Contractor

Restriction: Working voltage range : -500 V to 1500 V

Reference : MFC actuator (/www.smart-material.com/)

Slide No: 5
 Aim of Research ??

• Several studies are done in this area of morphing of

Unsymmetrical laminates with MFC.
Then what makes difference?

Results by Schultz et al. 1900 V

Results by Portela et al. 1800 V Working Voltage range
Results by Dano et al. 1800 V for MFC?

Can we use the tailoring stiffness option to achieve better

results?
Slide No: 6
 Aim of research
• It is observed that multistable morphing structures using
variable stiffness composites have better results in terms of
Snap-through loads.
(Reference: Haldar et al.,2016)

Aim of research

• To identify suitable configurations for the morphing of

variable stiffness laminates using MFC actuators.

• To identify optimal location and size of MFC actuators.

Slide No: 7
Variable - Stiffness Laminate Model

(Reference: Weaver et al., 2009)

Parameters defining the curvilinear Current Study

fiber path ɸ = 45ᵒ
Represented as: ɸ < T0 |T1 > T0 + T1 =90ᵒ or -90ᵒ

Slide No: 8
 Methodology

• To calculate the snap through voltages

3 step process

• Analytical Studies
• Studies on square laminates Laminate curing
• Studies on rectangular laminates

• Numerical Studies (ABAQUS)

• Studies on square laminates Addition of MFC
• Studies on rectangular laminates

MFC actuation

Slide No: 9
 Analytical Studies

• Two Models are investigated:

• Basic model with energy formulation

• Improved model with energy formulation

Slide No: 10
 Laminate Analysis
z w0

 Based on classical Laminate theory (CLT) Ly

v0

 Von Kármán nonlinear equations h

y

 Kirchhoff-Love plate hypotheses x u0

Lx

Von Karman kinematic: small strains and moderate rotations.

ABD laminate formulation including thermal effects

ABD matrix is a function of plate
coordinates

Assume out of plane dispacement and strain feilds Constant curvature polynomial used for w

Slide No: 11
 Analytical Studies- Basic model

Step 1

Stiffness contribution Curing effects

Step 2

Stiffness contribution

Step 3

Stiffness contribution Actuation effects

Slide No: 12
Analytical Studies- Basic model
The generalized constitutive behaviour:

Values of N and M are:

Slide No: 13
 Analytical Studies- improved model
• In basic model, the in plane equilibrium equations are not satisfied
exactly, and can therefore lead to inaccuracies while calculation
membrane energy.

• An improved model was suggested to capture the effects of

membrane energy more efficiently by decoupling different terms in
the energy formulation.

• Total Energy =
Energy due to Membrane forces +
Energy due to bending +
Energy due to coupling of bending and membrane

Slide No: 14
 Analytical Studies- improved model

membrane energy terms

membrane energy terms

Slide No: 15
 Improved analytical approach:
Membrane problem
Equilibrium equations

N= f(κ)

By changing this system

of PDEs into a standard
Compatibility condition plane elasticity problem
in the form:

div σ + b =0 on S
Where, σ. n = o on әs
ζ (C-1. σ) =0 on S

Slide No: 16
 Analytical Studies

The total potential energy The stability of the solution is

evaluated by Jacobian matrix J

Solutions can be calculated by,

Slide No: 17
Square plate with one MFC patch

Initial shape Stable shape 1 Stable shape 2

Numerical Basic Improved

Results on analytical model analytical model
[0/90] laminate 1800 V 900 V 1700 V
Results: Square plate with one MFC patch.

Therefore solving the membrane problem accurately would

improve the predicted snap-through voltages.
Slide No: 18
 Snap-though and snap back behavior
using 2 MFCs

Snap-through Snap-back

Stable shape 1 Stable shape 2 Stable shape 1

Laminate - MFC assembly for square laminates, (Ref: Schultz et al., 2013)

Slide No: 19
 Snap-though and snap back

Individual use for snap-through

and snap-back
Two MFC actuators
are needed Combined use for snap-through
and snap-back

Slide No: 20
 Individual use of two MFC layers

Stability check of
Initial Step Cool - down Step snap back

Stable shape 1

MFC activation Snap back

Stable shape 1
Reference :
www.smart-material.com
Stability check of
Snap through
snap through

Stable shape 2
Steps followed in Numerical Analysis

Slide No: 21
 Individual use of two MFC layers

Snap-through Snap-back Corner displacement in

VS Laminate Voltage (V) Voltage(V) the stable state (m)

45<00|90> / 45<00|-90> 1150 1190 0.00408

45<15|75> / 45<-15|-75> 2139 1970 0.00538
45<30|60> / 45<-30|-60> 2425 2340 0.00641
45<45|45> / 45<-45|-45> 1800 1450 0.00509
45<60|30> / 45<-60|-30> 500 480 0.00478
45<75|15> / 45<-75|-15> 868 961 0.00483
45<90|00> / 45<-90|00> 1150 905 0.00406

Snap voltages and corner displacements in the stable state for square
laminates.

Slide No: 22
Combined use of two MFC actuators

Slide No: 23
Combined use of two MFC actuators

Voltage cycle for actuation,

reproduced from Schultz et al.

MFC actuators and the laminate,

reproduced from Schultz et al.

Slide No: 24
Combined use of two MFC actuators
Snap voltages for type 1, 2 and 3 combinations were either high or
out of the working limits.

As per the analysis, type 4 is preferred

Snap voltages of type 4

Slide No: 25
Combined use of two MFC actuators

Type 4 assembly is used for the further analysis

Comparison of Snap voltages of type 4 type [0/90] square laminates.

Type 4 assembly and Improved analytical model is selected

Slide No: 26
 Combined use of two MFC actuators to VS laminates

Snap-through voltages from different models of VS square laminates.

Slide No: 27
How to use in morphing applications??
Analysis of rectangular laminates

Rectangular laminate assembly. (Reference: Arrieta et al., 2014)

Stable shape 1 Stable shape 2

Slide No: 28
Analysis of rectangular laminates

Aim:

• Calculate the optimal size and Location of MFC actuators?

1. Without losing bistability

2. Lower snap voltage.

Parametric study on a number of numerical examples

Size and location of MFCs were identified by performing a
parametric study on [0/90] = 45<45|45>/45<-45|-45> laminate.

Slide No: 29
 Parametric study on size and location of MFCs

• Up to certain distance, snap-through voltages decrease with

the increase in the distance of snap-through MFCs to the center
line of laminate.

Snap –through MFCs

• Increase in the size of MFCs to reduce the snap-through voltage

may destroy the bistable nature of laminates.

Slide No: 30
 Parametric study on size and location of MFCs

• Snap-back voltage increases with the increase in the

distance of snap-back MFCs to the center line of laminate.

Snap –back MFCs

• Closely spaced snap-back MFCs may not be capable enough

to produce snap-back action within a significant range of
voltages.

Slide No: 31
Parametric study on size and location of MFCs
• Two type of parametric studies were performed
• For constant W and D: Changing the L of MFC
• For constant D: changing the W/L of MFC

W = Width of MFC, Lmfc= Length of MFC,

D = Center of one MFC to Center of Laminate,
Lx = Length of Laminate in x-direction and Ly = Length of Laminate in y-direction

Slide No: 32
Parametric study on size and location of MFCs

Parametric study on size and location of MFCs

Slide No: 33
Parametric study on size and location of MFCs

2mm×10mm,D= 41 mm

3mm×30mm,
D= 10 mm

Configurations used for the current study

• Best location and size of MFC was found from the performed parametric
study for straight fiber configurations.
• By considering this size and location of MFC, different VS laminates were
studied, and the snap through and snap back voltages were calculated.

Slide No: 34
Analysis of rectangular VS laminates

Snap-through Snap-back Corner displacement

Laminate Family Voltage (V) Voltage(V) in the stable state (m)
45<00|90> / 45<00|-90> No bistability -

45<15|75> / 45<-15|-75> 1700 4200 0.00341

45<30|60> / 45<-30|-60> 2500 4900 0.00450

45<45|45> / 45<-45|-45> 3980 9500 0.00495

45<60|30> / 45<-60|-30> 2500 4890 0.00450

45<75|15> / 45<-75|-15> 1700 4200 0.00341

45<90|00> / 45<-90|00> No bistability -

Snap voltages and corner displacements in the stable state for rectangular
laminates.

Slide No: 35
Optimization scheme for MFC location

• How to verify the parametric study on rectangular laminates in

the analytical model?
• Is it possible to generate more generalized results?

Optimization scheme for MFC location

Include location and size of MFC into formulation

Slide No: 36
Optimization scheme for MFC location

Heaviside Step Function

Modified equations

Slide No: 37
Optimization scheme for MFC location

Slide No: 38
Parametric optimization

Optimum Values
• Location at center
• Snap voltage = 1516V

Slide No: 39
Optimization scheme for MFC location

Slide No: 40
Optimization scheme for MFC location

Optimization contour plot for square laminate

Slide No: 41
Nelder–Mead method of optimization

• Nelder-Mead algorithm is for multidimensional unconstrained

optimization without derivatives.

• For a function of n variables, the algorithm maintains a set of n+1

points forming the vertices of a polytope in n-dimensional space.

• This method is also termed the " downhill simplex" method in

optimization methods

Slide No: 42
Nelder–Mead method of optimization

Objective function convergence and design variables history

Slide No: 43
Nelder–Mead method of optimization

For a square laminate geometry,

Optimum location of MFC actuator is at the center of MFC

at the center of the laminate.

Rectangular geometry proposed could be verified using the

proposed optimization scheme as a future studies.

Slide No: 44
Conclusions

• The snap voltages to obtain the bistable configurations of different

sets of square and rectangular VS laminates using MFC actuators
were calculated.

• Optimum size and suitable locations of MFC actuators were

identified using parametric studies on rectangular laminates

• The proposed analytical model have better correlation with the

numerical simulations

Slide No: 45
Conclusions

• Snap voltages for specific combinations of VS laminates were found to

be lower than the conventional straight fiber unsymmetrical laminates

• Introducing VS fibers to the morphing applications (Rectangular) can

reduce the snap voltages to 50% of the snap voltages of conventional
straight fiber laminates.

Which can be of great advantage for morphing applications.

Slide No: 46
 Outcomes

• Conference Paper
Anilkumar P.M., A. Haldar, E.L. Jansen, B.N. Rao and R. Rolfes, Design Optimization of
Multistable Variable-Stiffness Laminates, International Conference on Composite
Materials and Structures, ICCMS 2017, Organized by IIT Hyderabad, 27th - 29th
December 2017.

• Journal Paper
• Anilkumar P. M., A. Haldar, Eelco Jansen, B. N. Rao and R. Rolfes, Design
Optimization of Multistable Variable-Stiffness Laminates, Mechanics of Advanced
Materials and Structures, Taylor and Francis Group of Journals, DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1080/15376494.2018.1512022

Slide No: 47
 Thank you

Slide No: 48