Design and analysis of a reconfigurable origami tube with tunable load-bearing capacity

Origami tubes can be crafted from thin-walled sheets, enabling the creation of a wide range of unique three-dimensional structures that are foldable and reconfigurable through ingenious mechanical designs. In this paper, a novel reconfigurable origami tube with flat-foldable motion and tunable load-bearing capacity is proposed. The unit cell of the origami tube is designed by combining two origami triangle elements with varying creases. The geometry of the triangle elements are analyzed, leading to different types of unit cells with various kinematical configurations. The proposed origami structures possess both the ability to fold flat and the flexibility to tune its load-bearing capacity while maintaining consistent external dimensions. In such a manner, the origami structure can be assembled in series or parallel and show a wide range of a programmable mechanical properties Both experimental tests and finite element models are built to investigate the deformation behaviors of the unit cells. It is found that the proposed Miura-ori structures can achieve high load bearing capability (up to 2300 times of its self weight). It is anticipated that our design and analysis approach could facilitate the development of man-made reconfigurable metamaterials.