Design and analysis of lattice metamaterials composed of circular-arc curved beam elements

•A design strategy for lattice metamaterials assembled from arch-type elements is proposed.•Theoretical models of the large deformation circular-curve shaped beams are established.•Lattice metamaterials composed of arch-type cells exhibit nonlinear and tunable properties. A rationally design of lattice metamaterials composed of circular-arc curved beam elements for independently tailored stiffness in different loading directions is presented. Theoretical models are developed to predict the force–displacement relationship of the proposed structural cells. Lattice metamaterials are manufactured using 3D printing techniques and mechanically tested. The results supported by the finite element method (FEM) show that lattice materials composed of circular-arc curved beam elements exhibit remarkable properties. This work provides the guiding principles to design mechanical metamaterials with controlled stiffness, which presents the promising potentials in biomedical applications.