Session: ASME Undergraduate Student Design Expo

Paper Number: 173494

Simplifying Sound Control: Accessible Fabrication of Multi-Stable Acoustic Metamaterials 

Metamaterials have been a major focus of engineering and physics research over the last few years. Unlike traditional structures, metamaterials derive their unique behavior from the geometry, arrangement, and scale of their internal architecture. As such, they possess unique features allowing them to exhibit effective material properties that are otherwise unattainable. Over the past few decades, metamaterials have shown the potential to address some of the most common engineering challenges in the domains of vibration control, wave focusing, and spatial energy manipulation, among others. As a key example, recent studies have shown that origami-inspired acoustic metamaterials (OAMs) can be excellent candidates for anechoic materials and sound insulators. Owing to their robust, and highly tunable, acoustic absorption characteristics and ease of fabrication, OAMs are particularly promising for applications that lack access to CNC machines, laser cutters, or sophisticated machining equipment typically required for precision designs.

In this project, we propose a tri-stable Kresling origami-inspired acoustic metamaterial that maintains high performance while improving accessibility. Its simple pattern allows for geometric variation, enabling them to be tuned to specific target frequencies that can be acquired through numerical modeling. Through parametric exploration, we identify angular combinations that produce three energetically favorable equilibrium states, confirmed through theoretical energy analysis using a modified truss model. The truss-based analytical framework is used to compute the strain energy landscape as a function of folding height, revealing multiple local minima corresponding to stable states. Using axisymmetric cylindrical modeling in a finite element analysis, we simulate the dynamic behavior of the unit cell to determine the optimal operating frequencies for acoustic absorption. These simulations provide frequency predictions for each stable configuration of the metamaterial. Following the manufacturing of the metamaterial unit cell, a series of impedance tube tests were run to compare results. All three stable states achieved peak absorption which are within 5 Hz of the modeled target frequencies.

To further enhance tunability, we extended our design to incorporate a hybrid configuration of cylindrical and conical Kresling origami unit cells. Inspired by recent developments in multi-triangle cylindrical origami (MTCO), we constructed a series-connected metamaterial composed of cylindrical and conical cells. Simulations and experimental tests showed that the hybrid design offers improved absorption bandwidth and mechanical response. This hybrid approach enables more versatile acoustic control while maintaining the advantages of additive manufacturing. Geometric variation in this structure provides more pronounced stable states and improve results in acoustic absorption performance. The results of this study will improve accessible models for further research on geometric variations. Our findings represent a first step toward creating Kresling origami models more effectively, reducing downtime between model variations, and increasing the availability of these models.

Presenting Author: Nathaniel Marzec Clarkson University

Presenting Author Biography: Nathaniel (Nate) Marzec is an undergraduate student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Clarkson University. In the summer of 2025, he completed a research internship in the Sound and Vibrations Laboratory at the University at Buffalo (SUNY).

Authors:

Nathaniel Marzec Clarkson University
Saeed Behboodi University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Mostafa Nouh University at Buffalo (SUNY)