Tailoring bistability in unsymmetrical laminates using an additional composite strip

Unsymmetric laminates exhibiting two stable equilibrium shapes due to the induced thermal residual stresses have been extensively explored in recent years. The potential energy wells for such bistable systems have a considerable influence on the stable shapes and their snap-through behavior. For a square shaped cross-ply laminate, both stable shapes, having their principal curvatures orthogonal to each other, possess identical potential...