Actively stressed marginal networks

Abstract

We study the effects of motor-generated stresses in disordered three dimensional fiber networks using a combination of a mean-field, effective medium theory, scaling analysis and a computational model. We find that motor activity controls the elasticity in an anomalous fashion close to the point of marginal stability by coupling to critical network fluctuations. We also show that motor stresses can stabilize initially floppy networks, extending the range of critical behavior to a broad regime of network connectivities below the marginal point. Away from this regime, or at high stress, motors give rise to a linear increase in stiffness with stress. Finally, we demonstrate that our results are captured by a simple, constitutive scaling relation highlighting the important role of non-affine strain fluctuations as a susceptibility to motor stress.

8 pages, 4 figures

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• Strain-driven criticality underlies nonlinear mechanics of fibrous networks
• Fluctuation-stabilized marginal networks and anomalous entropic elasticity
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• Dynamical behavior of disordered spring networks
• Micromechanical theory of strain-stiffening of biopolymer networks
• Stress-stabilized sub-isostatic fiber networks in a rope-like limit
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• Mechanical criticality of fiber networks at a finite temperature
• Stability and anomalous entropic elasticity of sub isostatic random-bond networks
• Active biopolymer networks generate scale-free but euclidean clusters
• Building rigid networks with prestress and selective pruning
• Control of connectivity and rigidity in prismatic assemblies
• Criticality enhances the reinforcement of disordered networks by rigid inclusions
• Solitons and thermal fluctuations in strongly nonlinear solids
• Spatial patterning of force centers controls folding pathways of active elastic networks