Related papers: Gamma-convergence results for nematic elastomer bi…
The asymptotic behaviour of the equilibrium configurations of a thin elastic plate is studied, as the thickness $h$ of the plate goes to zero. More precisely, it is shown that critical points of the nonlinear elastic functional $\mathcal…
We establish some new results about the $\Gamma$-limit, with respect to the $L^1$-topology, of two different (but related) phase-field approximations of the so-called Euler's Elastica Bending Energy for curves in the plane.
We consider nematic liquid crystals in a bounded, convex polyhedron described by a director field n(r) subject to tangent boundary conditions. We derive lower bounds for the one-constant elastic energy in terms of topological invariants.…
We present new abstract results on the interrelation between the minimizing movement scheme for gradient flows along a sequence of Gamma-converging functionals and the gradient flow motion for the corresponding limit functional, in a…
We consider a sequence of linear hyper-elastic, inhomogeneous and fully anisotropic bodies in a reference configuration occupying a cylindrical region of height epsilon. We then study, by means of Gamma-convergence, the asymptotic behavior…
This paper is concerned with the optimisation of the actuation response of electro-elastic, rank-two laminates obtained laminating a core rank-one composite with a soft phase which constitutes the shell. The analysis is performed for two…
We consider a discrete model of planar elasticity where the particles, in the reference configuration, sit on a regular triangular lattice and interact through nearest neighbor pairwise potentials, with bonds modeled as linearized elastic…
In this paper, we speculate on a possible application of Liquid Crystal Elastomers to the field of soft robotics. In particular, we study a concept for limbless locomotion that is amenable to miniaturisation. For this purpose, we formulate…
A rectangular plate of dielectric elastomer exhibiting gradients of material properties through its thickness will deform inhomogeneously when a potential difference is applied to compliant electrodes on its major surfaces, because each…
We study the effective elastic behavior of incompatibly prestrained plates, where the prestrain is independent of thickness as well as uniform through the thickness. We model such plates as three-dimensional elastic bodies with a prescribed…
Mechanical deformation of amorphous solids can be described as consisting of an elastic part in which the stress increases linearly with strain, up to a yield point at which the solid either fractures or starts deforming plastically. It is…
We predict spontaneous nematic order in an ensemble of active force generators with elastic interactions as a minimal model for early nematic alignment of short stress fibers in non-motile, adhered cells. Mean-field theory is formally…
We start from a variational model for nematic elastomers that involves two energies: mechanical and nematic. The first one consists of a nonlinear elastic energy which is influenced by the orientation of the molecules of the nematic…
Continuum atomic relaxation models for twisted bilayer graphene involve minimization of the sum of intralayer elastic energy and interlayer adhesion energy. The elastic energy favors a rigid twist i.e. no distortion in the twisted honeycomb…
We investigate twisted bilayer graphene near charge neutrality using a generalized Bistritzer-MacDonald continuum model, accounting for corrugation effects. The Fermi velocity vanishes for particular twist angles properly reproducing the…
The nonlinear mechanics of a flexible elastic rod constrained at its edges by a pair of sliding sleeves is analyzed. The planar equilibrium configurations of this variable-length elastica are found to have shape defined only by the…
We study the spontaneous out-of-plane bending of a planar untwisted ribbon composed of nematic polymer networks activated by a change in temperature. Our theory accounts for both stretching and bending energies, which compete to establish…
In equilibrium, the physical properties of matter are set by the interactions between the constituents. In contrast, the energy input of the individual components controls the behavior of synthetic or living active matter. Great progress…
We study the phase behavior of a nematic liquid crystal confined between a flat substrate with strong anchoring and a patterned substrate whose structure and local anchoring strength we vary. By first evaluating an effective surface free…
We use numerical simulations to study the dynamics of dense assemblies of self-propelled particles in the limit of extremely large, but finite, persistence times. In this limit, the system evolves intermittently between mechanical…