Stability Analysis and Nonlinear Dynamics of Coupled Buckled Beams

Snap-through buckling is increasingly utilized in various engineering fields, including microelectromechanical systems, metamaterials, and robotics. Structures exhibiting this behavior, particularly arches and buckled beams, are of significant interest due to their ability to exhibit at least two stable equilibrium states. This work investigates the static and nonlinear dynamic behavior of a system comprising rigidly coupled buckled beams, formulated using a general displacement theory. The equilibrium paths are explored to demonstrate the interaction between different buckling modes. Subsequently, for a given buckled state, the nonlinear dynamics will be analyzed. A key focus will be on the influence of axial and bending stiffness, comparing the results with those of a single buckled beam. The resulting descriptions are expected to aid in the design of advanced multistable systems.