Amplitude-dependent input to reprogram static and dynamic properties of multistable structures

Phase transformations can be observed from the nanometer scale of crystalline order to macroscale mechanical structures. These transformations are often associated with dramatic reconfigurations and changes to properties. Here, we study a tunable mechanical structure composed of a 1D chain of rotating squares and embedded magnets, with each cell along the chain capable of being in any of three possible stable phases, defined by the angular orientation of the square. We demonstrate the ability to change the static and dynamic responses, particularly linear/nonlinear wave dynamics, by reversibly reconfiguring the structure via controlled use of transition waves. We numerically and experimentally demonstrate the propagation of transition waves in a 1D chain. We then analyze the dynamic properties of the chain, including the opening/closing of a frequency band gap, and the coupling behavior between rotational and translational motion as a function of the phase. We demonstrate that transition waves with opposite rotational directions can be generated, and that a collision between such waves results in the formation of a phase boundary.