Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

The Newcastle University research output collection, currently available on ePrints, will shortly be moving to a new open repository platform, Figshare. To prepare for the data migration we have paused adding new content to ePrints, and will resume once the new repository is launched. During this time you will continue to have access to ePrints (but no new content will appear). We will share updates here when available.

Numerical investigation of growth-induced buckling of soft filaments in confined spaces

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Weicheng Huang

Downloads

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

Abstract

© 2026 The Authors. The mechanics of growing slender filaments under geometric confinement is a fundamental problem in biological and engineering systems. While extensive studies have examined growth-induced instabilities in unconfined settings, the nonlinear interplay between elasticity, growth, and confinement remains poorly understood. Existing theoretical frameworks, which typically enforce strict rod-surface coupling via surface parameterization, cannot capture complex interactions such as partial contact, detachment, and contact-induced buckling. To address this limitation, we develop a simulation framework for surface-confined growing rods based on the discrete elastic rod model, incorporating explicit non-smooth contact mechanics. This approach naturally accommodates intermittent contact and elastic constraints, enabling the investigation of nonlinear deformation modes inaccessible to classical surface-based formulations. We apply the framework to analyze the growth of an elastic ring confined within three surfaces of distinct Gaussian curvature: a sphere, a cylinder, and a torus. Results show that the dimensionless confinement radius acts as a bifurcation parameter controlling the buckling modes for a torus-confined growing rod. The framework provides a versatile tool for studying the mechanics of slender structures under realistic constraints, bridging the gap between idealized theories and complex biological or engineering applications.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Li J, Wu H, Huang W

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics

Year: 2026

Volume: 187

Print publication date: 01/08/2026

Online publication date: 31/03/2026

Acceptance date: 23/03/2026

Date deposited: 15/04/2026

ISSN (print): 0020-7462

ISSN (electronic): 1878-5638

Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2026.105363

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2026.105363

Data Access Statement: Data will be made available on request.

Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric

Share