Admission requirements
None.
Description
Metamaterials derive their unique properties not from their composition, but from their geometry. For instance, even a simple block of rubber can become a metamaterial capable of counting how often it’s compressed, purely through structured design as you can see in this video.
Recent breakthroughs have uncovered a vast diversity of metamaterials, spanning from patterned flexible solids to designs based on origami and kirigami. Because the possibilities of geometry are virtually limitless, so too is the range of mechanical metamaterials. See Playlist Masters Course Mechanical Metamaterials Martin van Hecke
This course introduces the physics underlying mechanical metamaterials, focusing on the crucial roles of geometry, symmetries, and mechanical instabilities. These are fundamental concepts in physics, essential for understanding not only metamaterials but also soft matter, biological systems, pattern formation, phase transitions, and complex flows.
Course Structure
Each lecture is centered around a recent metamaterial, based on a presentation by one of the students. Together, we the explore their physics through discussion, illustrative examples, and collaborative solving of toy problems. After each session, you'll receive a set of targeted exercises aimed at developing and sharpening your problem-solving skills.
The course concludes with a short final presentation, in which each student presents a metamaterial of their own design.
Topics Covered
Fundamentals of elasticity: stress, strain, and elastic constants
The elastic tensor: anisotropy, extremal materials, pentamode materials and mechanical cloaking
Geometric nonlinearities and symmetry breaking: spontaneous and controlled
Instabilities: bending, buckling, snapping, and multistability
Maxwell counting, floppy modes, and states of self stress
Origami-based metamaterials and principles of foldability
Characteristic length scales in mechanical response
Shape-morphing materials and programmable geometries
Auxetic behavior; ordered vs. disordered systems; design principles for mechanical function
Course objectives
After the course, you are able to critically discuss the role of symmetry, nonlinearity and in determining the effective properties of (meta)materials.
Specifically, after this course, you are able to:
Critically discuss the role of geometry in metamaterials.
Solve problems related to geometry and elasticity.
Analyze (elastic) instabilities.
Analyze the degrees of freedom of complex hinged structures.
Perform scaling analysis for elastic constants.
Schedule
The timetables are available through My Timetable (see the button in the upper right corner).
Teaching method
See Brightspace
Assesment method
The final grade will be determined as follows:
Homework exercises (every week) (70%)
Paper presentation (around 2, depending on number of students) (20%)
Final presentation(10%)
Resit, review & feedback
Examinations are held twice during the academic year for each component offered in that academic year. Midterm tests cannot be retaken. The Board of Examiners determines the manner of resit for practical
assignments.
For review and feedback, see Brightspace.
Reading list
Not applicable.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap (button in upper right corner) is mandatory. General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer(s) (listed in the right information bar).
Remarks
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.