Assessing the Performance of Flexible Miura-Ori Cylinders in Prolonging Structural Fatigue Life
Conference
Fakhari, HE, Mardanpour, P. (2025). Assessing the Performance of Flexible Miura-Ori Cylinders in Prolonging Structural Fatigue Life
. 10.2514/6.2025-1600
Fakhari, HE, Mardanpour, P. (2025). Assessing the Performance of Flexible Miura-Ori Cylinders in Prolonging Structural Fatigue Life
. 10.2514/6.2025-1600
This paper presents a novel “flexible cylindrical structure based on the Miura-Ori pattern”, designed as a “foldable origami energy absorber”. A single vertex is modeled as an individual Miura-Ori unit, which, in turn, is defined by geometric parameters. We arrange these units in a circle to form one story, vertically replicated to create a cylinder. We begin by developing the kinematics of the structure and introducing a manufacturing method to create a prototype. This prototype allows us to conduct experiments, providing insights into the folding and deployment process. Subsequently, we perform Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on this novel structure, validating our results through comparison with experimental data. Using the validated FEA model, we examine how design parameters, including vertex count, crease width, number of stories, and crease thickness, impact the structure’s fatigue life. The outcomes reveal that reducing crease thickness and increasing crease width significantly enhance durability, while the number of stories and vertexes have minimal impact. Lastly, we consider the creases as energy absorption paths and derive a closed-form theoretical equation for absorbed energy, achieving strong agreement with FEA results.
