Structural metamaterials with Saint-Venant edge effect reversal

When a usual material is loaded statically at surfaces, fine fluctuations of surface strain diminish fast in the material volume with the distance to the surface, a phenomenon widely known as the Saint-Venant edge effect. In this paper, highly nonlocal discrete lattices are explored to demonstrate structural metamaterials featuring reversal of the Saint-Venant edge effect. In these materials, certain coarse patterns of surface strain may decay faster than the finer ones. This phenomenon is shown to arise from anomalous behavior of the Fourier modes of static deformation in the material, and creates opportunities for blockage, qualitative modification and in-situ recognition of surface load patterns. Potential applications and useful practical techniques of spectral analysis of deformation, density of states and phase diagram mapping are outlined.