Programmable mechanical metamaterials: the role of geometry.

We experimentally and numerically study the role of geometry for the mechanics of biholar metamaterials, which are quasi-2D slabs of rubber patterned by circular holes of two alternating sizes. We recently showed how the response to uniaxial compression of these metamaterials can be programmed by lateral confinement. In particular, there is a range of confining strains ε for which the resistance to compression becomes non-trivial-non-monotonic or hysteretic-in a range of compressive strains ε.

Programmable mechanical metamaterials.

We create mechanical metamaterials whose response to uniaxial compression can be programmed by lateral confinement, allowing monotonic, nonmonotonic, and hysteretic behavior. These functionalities arise from a broken rotational symmetry which causes highly nonlinear coupling of deformations along the two primary axes of these metamaterials. We introduce a soft mechanism model which captures the programmable mechanics, and outline a general design strategy for confined mechanical metamaterials.