Programmable mechanical metamaterials enable precise regulation of mechanical responses through geometric design, ushering in transformative paradigms for transformable structures. To systematically map the knowledge landscape and development trends in this field, this study employs knowledge mapping methods to analyze the current research status, core hotspots, and future directions of programmable mechanical metamaterials. During the research process, we expanded keywords using the litsearchr tool to optimize the retrieval strategy. Bibliometric tools, including CiteSpace 6.3.R3 and bibliometrix, were utilized to conduct multidimensional analyses on 2017 original papers related to mechanical metamaterials in transformable architecture from 2015 to 2025. These analyses encompass co-word analysis, co-citation clustering, and structural variation analysis. Key aspects include (1) identifying core journals and their attributes to clarify interdisciplinary dynamics, (2) mapping research themes and evolutionary trends through keyword analysis and clustering, and (3) pinpointing research hotspots and future directions based on citation networks and clustering results. The results reveal significant interdisciplinary characteristics, with core knowledge emerging from the intersection of materials science, mechanics, and civil engineering. Mathematical system theory provides a cross-scale modeling foundation for metamaterial microstructure design. The field is evolving from static structural design toward environment-adaptive intelligent systems. Future efforts should prioritize multi-physics collaborative regulation, engineering integration, and technical chain refinement. These findings offer a theoretical reference for the innovative development of transformable architecture.
Wang et al. (Tue,) studied this question.