Graph-based design of irregular metamaterials

In the field of metamaterial research, irregular structures offer a novel and less conventional approach compared to traditional periodic designs. Designing irregular metamaterials is challenging when it comes to ensuring interconnectivity, which is essential for manufacturability. This study introduces an innovative framework for generating irregular metamaterials using graph algorithms, ensuring connectivity and adaptability across various base shapes, including cylinders, triangles, pyramids, and cubes. By employing graph algorithms, our framework enhances the intuitiveness and efficiency of design representation and manipulation, streamlining the design process. The framework generates families of designs that exhibit a wide range of property magnitudes that can be adjusted intuitively by modifying the input parameters. The rapid design process allows many designs to be generated, offering the user a multitude of solutions around the target property range. The designs can be effectively implemented in various fields and subjected to diverse analytical studies, including static, dynamic, and eigenfrequency assessments. We illustrate computational results for two key properties (stiffness and acoustic impedance), showcasing the method's effectiveness through examples ranging from rod-based to cube-based designs. The framework not only advances metamaterial research but also creates new opportunities for innovation in fields requiring customized material properties.

Duke Scholars

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