title: Asymptotic self-restabilization of a continuous elastic structure.
abstract: A challenge in soft robotics and soft actuation is the determination of an elastic system that spontaneously recovers its trivial path during postcritical deformation after a bifurcation. The interest in this behavior is that a displacement component spontaneously cycles around a null value, thus producing a cyclic soft mechanism. An example of such a system is theoretically proven through the solution of the elastica and a stability analysis based on dynamic perturbations. It is shown that the asymptotic self-restabilization is driven by the development of a configurational force, of similar nature to the Peach-Koehler interaction between dislocations in crystals, which is derived from the principle of least action. A proof-of-concept prototype of the discovered elastic system is designed, realized, and tested, showing that this innovative behavior can be obtained in a real mechanical apparatus.
authors.affiliation: DICAM-University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123 Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.affiliation: DICAM-University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123 Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Misseroni
authors.affiliation: DICAM-University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123 Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal Corso
authors.affiliation: Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 7190, Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert, F-75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neukirch
authors.affiliation: DICAM-University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, I-38123 Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bigoni