Two types of tubular dielectric elastomers (DE) torsional actuators are studied in this work, which are, respectively, reinforced by a family and two families of helical inextensible fibers. When subject to a radial electric field, torsional deformation will be induced in the DE actuators due to the constraint of inextensible fibers. By conducting finite deformation analysis with the principal axis approach and adopting appropriate constitutive equations, simple analytical solutions are obtained for the considered DE actuators. Furthermore, the effects of material parameters and the fiber angles as well as externally applied axial force and twist moment on the voltage-induced torsional behaviors of the two DE actuators are discussed in order to explore their maximum torsional actuation capability. The concept design presented here provides an effective approach for achieving large torsional deformation, and the developed model and revealed results will aid the design and fabrication of soft actuators and soft robots.
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Analytical Solutions for Inextensible Fiber-Reinforced Dielectric Elastomer Torsional Actuators
Liwen He,
Liwen He
Piezoelectric Device Laboratory,
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
e-mail: physi_mechanism@163.com
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
e-mail: physi_mechanism@163.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Jia Lou,
Jia Lou
Piezoelectric Device Laboratory,
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Jianke Du
Jianke Du
Piezoelectric Device Laboratory,
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Liwen He
Piezoelectric Device Laboratory,
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
e-mail: physi_mechanism@163.com
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
e-mail: physi_mechanism@163.com
Jia Lou
Piezoelectric Device Laboratory,
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Jianke Du
Piezoelectric Device Laboratory,
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
Department of Mechanics and
Engineering Science,
Ningbo University,
Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Applied Mechanics Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS. Manuscript received January 10, 2017; final manuscript received March 6, 2017; published online March 23, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Kyung-Suk Kim.
J. Appl. Mech. May 2017, 84(5): 051003 (11 pages)
Published Online: March 23, 2017
Article history
Received:
January 10, 2017
Revised:
March 6, 2017
Citation
He, L., Lou, J., and Du, J. (March 23, 2017). "Analytical Solutions for Inextensible Fiber-Reinforced Dielectric Elastomer Torsional Actuators." ASME. J. Appl. Mech. May 2017; 84(5): 051003. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4036193
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