Dynamics of Solid-Liquid Composite Beams

Solid-liquid composite structures received considerable attention in recent years in various fields such as smart materials, sensors, actuators and soft-robotics. We examine a beam-like appendage embedded with a set of a fluid-filled bladders, interconnected via elastic slender channels; a common arrangement in the abovementioned fields. Viscous flow within such structures is coupled with the elastic deformation of the solid. Beam deformation both creates, and is induced by, a fluidic pressure gradient and viscous flow which deforms the bladders and thus the surrounding solid. Applying concepts from poroelastic analysis, we obtain a set of three interdependent equations relating the fluidic pressure within the channel to the transverse and longitudinal displacements of the beam. Exact and approximate solutions are presented for various configurations. The results are validated and supplemented by a transient three-dimensional numerical study of the fluid-structure-interaction. The two-way coupled fluid-structure-interaction model allows the analysis and design of soft smart-metamaterials with unique mechanical properties, to applications such as touch-sensing surfaces, energy harvesting and protective gear.