On the design workflow of auxetic metamaterials for structural applications

Auxetic metamaterials exhibit an unexpected behaviour of a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR), meaning they expand transversely when stretched longitudinally. This behaviour is generated predominantly due to the way individual elements of an auxetic lattice are structured. These structures are gaining interest in a wide variety of applications such as energy absorption, sensors, smart filters, vibration isolation and medical etc. Their potential could be further exploited by the use of additive manufacturing. Currently there is a lack of guidance on how to design these structures. This paper highlights state-of-the-art in auxetic metamaterials and its commonly used unit-cell types. It further explores the design approaches used in the literature on creating auxetic lattices for different applications and proposes, for the first time, a workflow comprising design, simulation and testing of auxetic structures. This workflow provides guidance on the design process for using auxetic metamaterials in structural applications.

Automated summary

Auxetic metamaterials exhibit the unexpected behavior of negative Poisson's ratio, expanding transversely when stretched longitudinally, which has applications in energy absorption, sensors, smart filters, vibration isolation, and medical fields. The potential of these structures can be further explored through additive manufacturing. There is currently a lack of guidance on the design of these structures, and this paper provides insights into the state-of-the-art and design approaches.