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In this paper, a concave-shaped unit composed of two thin-walled beams with cantilever boundary conditions is designed and fabricated. Forces are introduced through the two cantilever ends of the beams whose constraints are hinged joints to get a bi-stable axial or lateral buckled unit. Initial buckling deformations of the concave-shaped units are analyzed theoretically and numerically. Experimental and numerical methods are used to investigate the post-buckling deformations and snap-through behaviors, when the concave-shaped units are axial buckled or lateral buckled. In the case of completing downwards and upwards snapping processes, there is a hysteresis loop in the force–displacement curve for the bi-stable lateral buckled unit, while is not for the bi-stable axial buckled unit. Finally, the influence of transverse displacements and dimension parameters on the snap-through behaviors of the bi-stable lateral buckled units is studied by the simulation method. • A bi-stable lateral buckled unit is designed and fabricated. • There are two symmetric modes for the initial buckled concave-shaped unit. • Post-buckling and snap-through behaviors of the bi-stable units are investigated. • The energy dissipation capacities are influenced by beams parameters. • The assembly bi-stable units are good candidates for energy-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-stable composite shells with initial curvature have obtained much attention due to their lightweight and morphing. The twisting deformation after curing is induced by thermal residual stress generated during the manufacture of the bistable composite shells, which has a significant influence on the mechanical behavior and the cured shape of bistable composite shells with initial curvature. This paper put forward a method to control the twisting by introducing an adjustive angle. An analytical model is developed to capture the suit adjustive angle, which makes the bistable composite shells without twisting. The analytical predictions are verified by results based on the experiments and finite element results. Moreover, the effect of initial radius, ply angle, thermal expansion coefficients, and elasticity modulus on an adjustive angle is considered by the analytical model, which can provide a guide for designing the bistable composite structures without twisting. The curvatures after twisting control are provided to predict the configuration of bistable composite shells with initial curvature. • A method to control the twisting is presented by introducing an adjustive angle. • The bistable composite shells with initial curvature without twisting are obtained by twisting control. • The adjustive angle is directly proportional to the initial radius and has a nonlinearity to the ply angle. • The curvature of bistable composite shells with initial curvature without twisting is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]