Auxetic Structures
Photo credit M. Veysel Yilmaz
Author M. Veysel Yilmaz
An auxetic pattern is a special type of pattern that displays a negative Poisson’s ratio, meaning that when stretched in one direction, it expands in perpendicular directions instead of contracting. This is in contrast to most materials, which have a positive Poisson’s ratio and contract in perpendicular directions when stretched.
Auxetic patterns can be found in various natural and synthetic materials, such as bone, wood, and some textiles. They are also used in engineering and design applications, such as in fabrics that can stretch in multiple directions, and in structures that can withstand impact and deformation. The unique properties of auxetic materials make them useful in a variety of fields, from aerospace and sports to medicine and fashion.
The key concept is a spatially graded auxetic pattern, where individual triangular elements are scaled to program the maximal local expansion factor required to achieve the global target shape.
In this study, I’m going to explore different approaches for free form structure by using auxetic triangles linkage pattern. The use of computational design systems and form-finding methods, such as Kangaroo in Grasshopper software, offers a powerful toolset for creating innovative and complex deployable structures. In this case, the focus is on using an auxetic triangle linkage pattern for a 3D deployable structure.
