Fluid-induced snap-through instability of spherical shells

TL;DR

This paper investigates the fluid-induced snap-through instability of spherical shells, combining experiments, simulations, and theory to understand the threshold and develop a passive flow control valve, advancing soft hydraulics and flow-responsive structures.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of viscous flow-induced shell snapping and introduces a novel passive valve based on this instability, bridging experiments, simulations, and theory.

Findings

Identified the instability threshold as a function of system parameters

Developed a passive snapping valve for flow control

Established a foundation for fluid-induced elastic instability studies

Abstract

We study the snapping instability of a spherical elastic shell induced by a viscous flow, the umbrella flipping problem when life is at low Reynolds numbers. We combine precision desktop-scale experiments, fluid-structure simulations, shell theory, fluid mechanics, and scaling analysis to determine the instability threshold as a function of the geometrical and material parameters of the system. Building on these findings, we devise a snapping-based valve that passively and abruptly alters the hydraulic resistance of a channel, offering robust flow control without active components. Beyond the application, our study presents what we believe to be a prototypical example of fluid-induced elastic instability in viscous flow, providing a foundation for future explorations in soft hydraulics and flow-responsive structures.