Optimizing membrane-substrate buckling to control surface deformation pattern
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Zhou, Wei
Hewson, Robert
Santer, Matthew
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Buckling of membrane–substrate structures can result in complex deformation patterns on their top surfaces. Traditionally, control over these patterns has relied on altering the material or thickness ratios of the system, which imposes considerable constraints on design flexibility. Inspired by studies on Winkler foundation optimization, this work presents a novel framework for tailoring membrane–substrate buckling modes via topology optimization. In this approach, the material distribution within the substrate is optimized to tune the mechanical response, while filtering and projection techniques are incorporated to enhance manufacturability. Post-processing of the optimized layout yields a physically realizable structure that preserves the desired mechanical behavior. A two-dimensional case study demonstrates that the optimized design successfully generates the prescribed deformation pattern without modifying material properties or thickness ratios, thus enabling precise control over buckling-induced surface morphologies. Experimental validation using fabricated prototypes subjected to compression further confirms that the observed buckling modes closely match the targeted patterns, underscoring the practical effectiveness of the proposed method.
Date Issued
2026-05-01
Date Acceptance
2026-02-11
Citation
International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2026, 331
ISSN
0020-7683
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Solids and Structures
Volume
331
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
113898
Date Publish Online
2026-02-12