Energy-Based Analytical Modeling of Pneumatic Network Actuators

In this article, an analytical model for pneumatic network actuators (Pneunets) is introduced using an energy-based approach, which offers a comprehensive framework for understanding their behavior. The Neo- Hookean model is employed to compute the strain energy of the actuator, accounting for the nonlinearities that arise in both material properties and the geometry of the structure. The analytical model is derived by determining the strain distribution along the actuator and integrating to compute its overall strain energy. To validate the analytical results, a CAE model was implemented in ABAQUS, where the material was modeled as hyperelastic, consistent with the theoretical assumptions. The maximum error between the theoretical and FEM results remains below 9% across the pressure range of 0 to 0.8 bar, demonstrating the model's accuracy and reliability in capturing the actuator's behavior under these conditions.