TY - JOUR
T1 - Superelastic tensegrities: matrix formulation and antagonistic actuation
AU - Micheletti, Andrea
AU - Santos, Filipe Amarante Dos
AU - Sittner, Petr
N1 - Czech Science Foundation grants 16-20264S and 18-03834S.
projects LM2015048 and LM2015087.
PY - 2018/9/14
Y1 - 2018/9/14
N2 - Superelastic tensegrity systems are prestressed structures composed by bars and cables in which some cables are realized with superelastic shape-memory alloys. These systems combine the peculiar features of tensegrity structures with those of shape-memory alloys and are particularly suitable for adaptive and variable-geometry systems. The main goal of this work is the design of systems with antagonistic actuation, that is to say, systems where two sets of superelastic cables can be actuated against each other in a reversible way. Superelasticity is here exploited to improve the stability of systems withstanding external loads. We show that the evolution of superelastic tensegrities, subjected to load and temperature changes, is described by a system of ordinary differential equations written in matrix form, a system that we solve by standard numerical routines. We then focus on a particular class of tensegrities and state a basic design criterion for an effective antagonistic actuation. Several case studies are presented. In particular, we applied our procedure to analyze different modules that can be assembled together in larger structures. Results show that the proposed procedure is able to replicate experimental data reasonably well and that it can be used to design complex systems in three-dimensions.
AB - Superelastic tensegrity systems are prestressed structures composed by bars and cables in which some cables are realized with superelastic shape-memory alloys. These systems combine the peculiar features of tensegrity structures with those of shape-memory alloys and are particularly suitable for adaptive and variable-geometry systems. The main goal of this work is the design of systems with antagonistic actuation, that is to say, systems where two sets of superelastic cables can be actuated against each other in a reversible way. Superelasticity is here exploited to improve the stability of systems withstanding external loads. We show that the evolution of superelastic tensegrities, subjected to load and temperature changes, is described by a system of ordinary differential equations written in matrix form, a system that we solve by standard numerical routines. We then focus on a particular class of tensegrities and state a basic design criterion for an effective antagonistic actuation. Several case studies are presented. In particular, we applied our procedure to analyze different modules that can be assembled together in larger structures. Results show that the proposed procedure is able to replicate experimental data reasonably well and that it can be used to design complex systems in three-dimensions.
KW - antagonistic actuation
KW - matrix equations
KW - shape-memory alloys
KW - superelastic behavior
KW - Tensegrity systems
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85054673691&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1361-665X/aadaa5
DO - 10.1088/1361-665X/aadaa5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85054673691
SN - 0964-1726
VL - 27
JO - Smart Materials and Structures
JF - Smart Materials and Structures
IS - 10
M1 - 105028
ER -