Solitary waves on tensegrity lattices

We study the dynamics of lattices formed by masses connected through tensegrity prisms. By employing analytic and numerical arguments, we show that such structures support two limit dynamic regimes controlled by the prisms' properties: (i) in the low-energy (sonic) regime the system supports the formation and propagation of solitary waves which exhibit sech(2) shape and (ii) in the high-energy (ultrasonic) regime the system supports atomic-scale localization. Such peculiar features found in periodic arrays of tensegrity structures suggest their use for the creation of new composite materials (here called tensegrity materials) of potential interest for applications in impact absorption, energy localization and in new acoustic devices. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.