Origami Floor Structures for Extraterrestrial Habitats

Abstract

As the trend in aerospace structures to maximize strength while minimizing mass continues, recent research has turned to composite materials as an alternative to more traditional materials. This paper seeks to show the application of composite materials in the design and optimization of live hinges, specifically with respect to flat-to-flat large panel load bearing origami structures for surface-based extra-planetary crewed habitats. Three models of these habitat floor structures are created and simulated to provide requirements for the hinges themselves. Ten physical hinge samples were then constructed and tested to measure specific mechanical properties, such as yield stress, modulus of elasticity, and max strain to gain insight into the viability of different construction methods. Preliminary results indicate an optimal method of construction which produces hinges with large yield stresses while providing the acceptable range of flexibility. This hinge methodology was then used to construct a scaled test model which underwent loading to confirm validity of simulations and the feasibility of applying origami load-bearing structures in Martian habitat applications.