Asymmetric bifurcation and snap-through behavior of bistable composite panels in time-varying centrifugal fields

This study presents a nonlinear dynamic analysis of bistable composite panels operating under time-varying centrifugal fields with harmonic perturbations. The research focuses on characterizing the asymmetric bifurcation phenomena and unidirectional snap-through mechanisms induced by rotational parameter variations. Theoretical modeling integrates first-order shear deformation theory with geometric nonlinearity, incorporating coupled effects of thermal prestress and centrifugal loading. Governing equations are solved using a numerical approach combining the Incremental Harmonic Balance (IHB) method with continuation techniques. Dynamic response characteristics are quantified through Lyapunov exponent analysis, enabling systematic identification of periodic motion and snap-through behavior. The results indicate that the snap-through behavior of the bistable composite panel is associated with regions of negative stiffness within the system. The panel exhibits unidirectional snap-through, which is highly sensitive to initial conditions. Moreover, the symmetry between the upper and lower stable state’s deflection is broken, leading to asymmetric bifurcation. Notably, the lower stable state of the bistable composite panel demonstrates soft spring characteristics, whereas the upper stable state does not exhibit nonlinear behavior under parametric excitation. Furthermore, the system parameters exhibit different effects on the responses of the two stable states.