Seminar Lacorre

Inflatable structures: pressurized panels and metamaterials

Paul Lacorre

OpenMechanics Group, Department of Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague

15th April 2026, 12:00-13:00 CEST, Room B-366 @ Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague 6

Abstract: This presentation will summarize my PhD research on pressurized membrane panels and my subsequent postdoctoral work on programmable anisotropy in cellular solids. My doctoral work involved the analytical, numerical, and experimental study of inflatable load-bearing structures, deriving nonlinear equations of motion for large deformations while accounting for inflation pressure's stiffening effect, which was validated through static bending and vibration tests. Following this, my postdoc focused on bio-inspired metamaterials, developing an artificial plant tissue where individual cell pressures control mechanical properties. Using periodic homogenization and finite element simulations, I demonstrated that the material's anisotropy can be programmed by varying internal pressure, revealing counter-intuitive nonlinear behavior in stiffness evolution, while also investigating its resilience to damage for robotic applications.

Bio: Paul Lacorre joined the Open Mechanics group in 2026 to participate in the ROBOPROX project, with the objective of developing pneumatically actuated microstructures that can transition between multiple stable states. He develops finite element simulations that include shape and topology optimization, buckling and nonlinearities such as large deformation, contact or follower forces. Paul earned his Ph.D. in Mechanics at Nantes Université (France) in 2022. His thesis presented an analytical, numerical and experimental investigation of pressurized membrane panels (also known as inflatable plates). Drawing inspiration from classical plate theories, he derived the nonlinear equations of motion and linearized them to solve statics, vibration and buckling problems. During his first post-doctoral contract at Aix-Marseille Université (France), he applied his experience with pressurized thin-walled structures to the numerical homogenization of a pressurized cellular solid inspired from plants that can move.