Abstract
This paper applies an energy method based on the high-order smooth curvature model to address the challenges of kinetostatically modeling the complicated nonlinear post-buckling behavior of inclined compliant beams. The pro- posed energy method is grounded in the principle of minimum strain energy, implying that the total strain energy is minimized at the equilibrium configuration. In this work, the high-order smooth curvature model is adopted to accu- rately model the bending strain energy of large deformation beams. Subsequently, the Lagrange multiplier method is employed to ascertain the minimum of strain energy while concurrently determining the corresponding tip loads. Additionally, the deformation shape and maximum stress are determined via the smooth curvature model. The pro- posed method is introduced for the first time in modeling compliant bistable mechanisms, and it is proven that the method can be used for modeling compliant beams with inclined angles ranging from 0 to 90 degrees. Following the modeling, finite element analysis and experimental tests are conducted to verify the accuracy of the proposed energy method. A comprehensive comparative analysis between proposed method and existing methods is conducted. The comparison results prove that the model is more computationally efficient without compromising modeling accuracy The proposed modeling method can not only be used for modeling compliant bistable mechanisms but also has ex- tendable applications in modeling initially-curved compliant beams, contact-aid design problems, and distributed load problems.