Tailorable twisting of biomimetic scale-covered substrate

In this letter, we investigate the geometrically tailorable elasticity in the twisting behavior of biomimetic scale-covered slender soft substrate. Motivated by qualitative experiments showing a significant torsional rigidity increase, we develop an analytical model and carry out extensive finite element simulations to validate our model. We discover a regime differentiated and reversible mechanical response straddling linear, nonlinear, and rigid behavior. The response is tailorable through the geometric arrangement and orientation of the scales. The work outlines analytical relationships between geometry, deformation and kinematics, which can be used for designing bio-inspired scale-covered materials.