Elastic and Stiffness Tailoring of 3D Dome Structures for Recoverable Energy Dissipation Metamaterials

Negative stiffness structures enable mechanical metamaterials with recoverable energy dissipation through purely elastic deformation, offering enhanced durability and reusability. While previous studies focused on 2D curved beams, this work investigates 3D axi-symmetric domes, which provide richer buckling modes and greater energy dissipation via multi-directional instability. We develop a framework to optimize dome-shaped negative stiffness elements through elastic tailoring (controlled pre-stressing) and stiffness tailoring (graded thickness and curvature). A nonlinear finite element model captures the effects of geometric nonlinearity, pre-stress, and stiffness gradients, enabling systematic exploration of pre-stressing effects, stiffness gradients, and multi-stable response. A parametric study identifies key design factors, guiding an optimization framework for maximum energy dissipation. Experimental validation demonstrates strong agreement with simulations.