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A polyconvex transversely-isotropic invariant-based formulation for electro-mechanics: Stability, minimisers and computational implementation
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Antonio Gil ,
Rogelio Ortigosa ,
Martin Kružík
Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, Volume: 403, Start page: 115695
Swansea University Author:
Antonio Gil
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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.cma.2022.115695
Abstract
The use of Electro-Active Polymers (EAPs) for the fabrication of evermore sophisticated miniaturised soft robotic actuators has seen an impressive development in recent years. The incorporation of crystallographic anisotropic micro-architectures, within an otherwise nearly uniform isotropic soft pol...
| Published in: | Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering |
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| ISSN: | 0045-7825 |
| Published: |
Elsevier BV
2023
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa61450 |
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| Abstract: |
The use of Electro-Active Polymers (EAPs) for the fabrication of evermore sophisticated miniaturised soft robotic actuators has seen an impressive development in recent years. The incorporation of crystallographic anisotropic micro-architectures, within an otherwise nearly uniform isotropic soft polymer matrix, has shown great potential in terms of advanced threedimensional actuation (i.e. stretching, bending, twisting), especially at large strains, that is, beyond the onset of geometrical pull-in instabilities. From the computational point of view, the design of accurate and robust albeit efficient constitutive models is a very active area of research. This paper introduces a novel polyconvex phenomenological invariantbased transversely isotropic formulation (and relevant computational frameworks) for the simulation of transversely isotropic EAPs at large strains, where the ab initio satisfaction of polyconvexity is exploited to ensure the robustness of numerical results for any range of deformations and applied electric fields. The paper also presents key important results both in terms of the existence of minimisers and material stability of coupled electro-mechanics, enhancing previous works in the area of large strain elasticity. In addition, a comprehensive series of selected numerical examples is included in order to demonstrate the effect that the anisotropic orientation and the contrast of material properties, as well as the level of deformation and electric field, have upon the response of the EAP when subjected to large three-dimensional stretching, bending and torsion, including the possible development of wrinkling and the potential loss of ellipticity in ill-posed constitutive models. |
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| Keywords: |
Polyconvexity, transversely isotropic, dielectric elastomers, electro-elasticity, finite element method |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Start Page: |
115695 |