Structural Mechanics and Design of Active Origami Structures

Abstract

A model for the mechanics of active origami structures with smooth folds is presented in this chapter. The model entails the integration of the surface kinematics model for origami with smooth folds developed in Chap. 5 and existing plate theories to obtain a structural representation for folds of non-zero thickness. The implementation of the model in a computational environment is also addressed. We provide examples including origami structures comprised of both elastic materials and active materials. Afterwards, the unfolding polyhedra and tuck-folding methods studied in Chaps. 6 and 7 are extended to develop frameworks for the design of active origami structures. The extensions account for the folding deformation achievable by smooth folds of specified thickness and constituent materials, which is not considered in the purely kinematic formulations of Chaps. 6 and 7.