Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures

Abstract Existing Civil Engineering structures have limited capability to adapt their configurations for new functions, non-stationary environments, or future reuse. Although origami principles provide capabilities of dense packaging and reconfiguration, existing origami systems have not achieved de...

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Main Authors: Yi Zhu, Evgueni T. Filipov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-03-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46667-0
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author Yi Zhu
Evgueni T. Filipov
author_facet Yi Zhu
Evgueni T. Filipov
author_sort Yi Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Existing Civil Engineering structures have limited capability to adapt their configurations for new functions, non-stationary environments, or future reuse. Although origami principles provide capabilities of dense packaging and reconfiguration, existing origami systems have not achieved deployable metre-scale structures that can support large loads. Here, we established modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired structures that can deploy into metre-scale structures, adapt into different shapes, and carry remarkably large loads. This work first derives general conditions for degree-N origami vertices to be flat foldable, developable, and uniformly thick, and uses these conditions to create the proposed origami-inspired structures. We then show that these origami-inspired structures can utilize high modularity for rapid repair and adaptability of shapes and functions; can harness multi-path folding motions to reconfigure between storage and structural states; and can exploit uniform thickness to carry large loads. We believe concepts of modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired structures will challenge traditional practice in Civil Engineering by enabling large-scale, adaptable, deployable, and load-carrying structures, and offer broader applications in aerospace systems, space habitats, robotics, and more.
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spelling doaj.art-c5f877133db34259b3e366fe84046ae52024-03-17T12:30:34ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-03-0115111110.1038/s41467-024-46667-0Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structuresYi Zhu0Evgueni T. Filipov1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of MichiganDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of MichiganAbstract Existing Civil Engineering structures have limited capability to adapt their configurations for new functions, non-stationary environments, or future reuse. Although origami principles provide capabilities of dense packaging and reconfiguration, existing origami systems have not achieved deployable metre-scale structures that can support large loads. Here, we established modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired structures that can deploy into metre-scale structures, adapt into different shapes, and carry remarkably large loads. This work first derives general conditions for degree-N origami vertices to be flat foldable, developable, and uniformly thick, and uses these conditions to create the proposed origami-inspired structures. We then show that these origami-inspired structures can utilize high modularity for rapid repair and adaptability of shapes and functions; can harness multi-path folding motions to reconfigure between storage and structural states; and can exploit uniform thickness to carry large loads. We believe concepts of modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired structures will challenge traditional practice in Civil Engineering by enabling large-scale, adaptable, deployable, and load-carrying structures, and offer broader applications in aerospace systems, space habitats, robotics, and more.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46667-0
spellingShingle Yi Zhu
Evgueni T. Filipov
Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
Nature Communications
title Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
title_full Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
title_fullStr Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
title_full_unstemmed Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
title_short Large-scale modular and uniformly thick origami-inspired adaptable and load-carrying structures
title_sort large scale modular and uniformly thick origami inspired adaptable and load carrying structures
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46667-0
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