Analysis of mechanical behaviors of waterbomb thin-shell structures under quasi-static load

Waterbomb structures are origami-inspired deformable structural components used in new types of robots. They have a unique radially deployable ability that enables robots to better adapt to their environment. In this paper, we propose a series of new waterbomb structures with square, rectangle, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lijuan Zhao, Zuen Shang, Tianyi Zhang, Zhan Liu, Liguo Han, Chongwang Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2021-05-01
Series:AIP Advances
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0050396
Description
Summary:Waterbomb structures are origami-inspired deformable structural components used in new types of robots. They have a unique radially deployable ability that enables robots to better adapt to their environment. In this paper, we propose a series of new waterbomb structures with square, rectangle, and parallelogram base units. Through quasi-static axial and radial compression experiments and numerical simulations, we prove that the parallelogram waterbomb structure has a twist displacement mode along the axial direction. Compared with the square waterbomb structure, the proposed optimal design of the parallelogram waterbomb structure reduces the critical axial buckling load-to-weight ratio by 55.4% and increases the radial stiffness-to-weight ratio by 67.6%. The significant increase in the radial stiffness-to-weight ratio of the waterbomb structure and decrease in the critical axial buckling load-to-weight ratio make the proposed origami pattern attractive for practical robotics applications.
ISSN:2158-3226