Characterization and Control of Deployable Origami Structure towards a Sustainable Built Environment
Advisor: Dr Ann Sychterz
Abstract
The thesis investigates the design, characterization, and control of deployable origami structures as innovative and sustainable solutions for infrastructure. Employing biomimetics to replicate the defensive conglobation behavior of pill bugs and leveraging principles of origami mechanics, a novel modular structure called the Origami Pill Bug is developed. The Origami Pill Bug features a plate-based deployable system capable of transitioning between flat and rolled configurations, offering promising applications in emergency shelters and adaptive civil engineering structures.
A hybrid approach combining computational analysis and experimental studies is employed to investigate the structural behavior of the Origami Pill Bug. A bar-and-hinge approximation combined with dynamic relaxation is developed to accurately model the Origami Pill Bug’s nonlinear geometric transformations. This modeling approach facilitates the form-finding of deployment shapes, which are subsequently used to generate finite element models for modal analyses. Multiple prototypes were developed and refined, culminating in the construction of the final meter-scale prototype. This meter-scale prototype was then experimentally tested to validate computational predictions of natural frequency variations during deployment. The comparison confirms the robustness of the proposed hybrid modeling approach.
Moving towards structural health monitoring, a multi-objective optimization framework is employed for optimal sensor placement. Experimental investigations determine efficient actuation rates for deployment, achieving a balance between operational speed and structural integrity. This research further advances damage detection capabilities through supervised machine learning algorithms, successfully classifying multiple damage scenarios using strain profile data. The environmental impact of the Origami Pill Bug is evaluated through a comparative life cycle assessment against traditional emergency shelter structures. The results highlight the Origami Pill Bug’s potential as a sustainable alternative to traditional shelters, emphasizing its adaptability and reduced ecological footprint.
This research addresses critical challenges in scalability, dynamic performance, and environmental impact assessment of deployable origami structures, contributing novel insights to the field. The findings have significant implications for disaster response, modular construction, and the design of resilient infrastructure, paving the way for more adaptable and sustainable built environments.
