摘要：SummaryCompliant elastomer tubing with a fabric “jacket” has been essential in various applications as soft robotic actuators, such as in biomedical exomuscles and massage therapy implements. Here, our study shows that a similar design concept can be an effective strategy in realizing passive regulation in the tube’s distension, as well as in preventing aneurysm-like asymmetric rupture of the tube. A custom hydraulic pressure testing rig was built to perform experiments. The jacketed tubes initially deform rapidly as pressure increases, but a self-regulation behavior suppresses the tube’s continued distension by strain-stiffening of the “jacket”. In addition, highly asymmetric distension, common to elastomeric tubes due to imperfection in fabrication, is prevented dramatically by the “jacket”. A three-dimensional finite element model predicts the distension of all tested tubes quantitatively across the entire experimental pressure ranges and beyond. Incorporating custom-designed kirigami relief patterns in the “jackets” expands the potential of the elastomeric tubes.Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Fabric “jackets” prevent asymmetric “aneurysms” in pressurized elastomeric tubes•Using FEM, we precisely modeled distension of pressurized, jacketed elastomer tubes•Hysteresis must be considered in predicting the deformation of elastomeric tubes•Fabric “jackets” may have kirigami relief patterns to realize complex deformationsRobotics; Polymers; Materials mechanics
