Post-Morphing Bending Behavior of Programmable Cellular Thin-Shell Structures Formed via Snap-Through Instabilities

This work introduces a new approach for shaping ultra-lightweight space structures by combining programmable elastic instabilities with the principles of in-space assembly and manufacturing. We present a deployable cellular meta-structure composed of bistable thin-shell composite cells whose snap-through response enables low-power morphing into target geometries. Building on earlier studies of cell-level and network-level multistability, this paper extends the investigation to the global bending stiffness of snap-through-shaped booms, a key property governing structural performance after deployment. Through finite element simulations, we characterize how boundary conditions, cell placement, target-cell density, and row activation influence the post-morphing stiffness of long booms. The results show that the stiffness of these structures can be tuned in a smooth and predictable fashion without compromising bistability or structural integrity. The study further verifies that these trends remain consistent even in larger multi-row networks. These findings establish a detailed mechanical understanding of snap-through-shaped cellular booms and demonstrate their reliability as programmable building blocks for large space structures.