On the net displacement of contact surface centroid in contractile bodies  

Author (s): Muñoz, J.J., Condamin, L., Doste, D.
Journal: Mechanics Research Communications

Volume: 119
Pages: 1 – 5
Date: 2022

Abstract:
We investigate the motion of the contact surface centroid for contractile bodies on substrates with a viscous friction law and when inertial forces are negligible. We deduce a set of sufficient conditions that ensure that the surface centroid remains still. In linear analysis, the viscous friction coefficient is required to be homogeneous and constant. In non-linear analysis, additional conditions are necessary: i) the material must be incompressible, ii) the material points in contact with the surface cannot vary, and iii) the surface must be flat. These results demonstrate the inability of slender organisms to move under homogeneous viscous contact condition if the contact surface remains constant, regardless of the contractility strategy employed. We numerically simulate some examples where these conditions are violated, such as the use of non-homogeneous or anisotropic friction, which illustrate possible strategies for net propulsion.

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Bibtex:

@ARTICLE{2021-MRC-MCD,
   author = "J.J. Mu{\~n}oz, L. Conmdamin, D. Doste",
   title = " On the net displacement of contact surface centroid in contractile bodies  ",
   journal = "Mechanics Research Communications",
   volume = “”,
   number = “”,
   pages = "",
   month = “”,
   year = "2021",
   note = "",
}