Origami in Engineering and Architecture

An art spanning Mathematics, Engineering and Architecture

Dr Mark Schenk (ms652)

October 25th 2012

Advanced
Structures Group
Origami

Objective:
introduction to Origami in mathematics, engineering
and architecture. Examples from academic research
and real life applications.

Today
- lecture (~1 hr)
- workshop + presentations (~2 hrs)
Origami

origami
– from Japanese for ‘oru’ (fold) and ‘kami’ (paper)

– earliest book to describe origami dates to 1682,

with the classic crane dating to a 1797 book “The
Secret of One Thousand Cranes Origami”

– resurgence of interest in 20th century

– rapid development over the last 2 decades.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasohill/118616905/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Origami Art

From simple…
Photo courtesy of Andreas Bauer
Origami Art
… to advanced

Designed and folded by Robert J. Lang

 Origami Art

http://www.flickr.com/photos/origamijoel/3226036918/

Joel Cooper (2008)

 Origami Art : tessellations

http://www.flickr.com/photos/87477835@N00/5038642136/
‘Star Tessellation’ by Eric Gjerde
 Origami Art : tessellations

http://www.flickr.com/photos/origomi/290031886/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9874847@N03/
 Origami Art : tessellations
http://www.flickr.com/photos/polyscene/2200937797/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambridgeuniversity-engineering/4706414628/
 Origami Art : curved folding

David Huffman (1925-1999)

http://www.graficaobscura.com/huffman/index.html
http://www.theiff.org/oexhibits/paper04.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/22/science/22orig.html
Origami Art : developments

increased model complexity

– crease patterns vs. linear folding instructions
– computer aided design of models
– a more fundamental understanding of the
underlying mathematics of origami

Designed and folded by Robert J. Lang

Origami : Mathematics
Origami Mathematics

origami & mathematics are deeply intertwined

• origami foldability
i.e. can a crease pattern actually be folded?

• surface geometry
i.e. what shapes can you attain?
Origami Mathematics : foldability

Example : Miura-ori sheet

flat and rigid foldable

Origami Mathematics : flat foldability

• flat foldability
after folding all creases by ±180°,
the final pattern lies in a plane

Kawasaki-Justin theorem: θ1 − θ2 + θ3 − θ4 = 0
Origami Mathematics : flat foldability

• flat foldability – counter example

engineering : compact stowage

Origami Mathematics : rigid foldability

• rigid foldability
if the pattern were made of rigid panels connected by
hinges, it can be folded.

Dureisseix (2011)

engineering : deployable (or rigid) plate structures

Origami Mathematics : rigid foldability

• rigid foldability – counter example

paper shopping bag

only ‘exists’ in either the
collapsed or upright
position.

Balkcom (2004)
Origami Mathematics : rigid foldability

a rigid-foldable shopping bag:

Wu and You (2011)

Further research: Huffman (1976), Wu and You (2010), Stachel (2009,2010), Tachi (2009)
Origami Mathematics : foldability

the ‘unfoldable’ hyperbolic paraboloid

Demaine et al. (2009)

Origami Mathematics : foldability

modelling the 'unfoldable'

Dias, Dudte, Mahadevan, Santangelo (2012)

 Origami Mathematics : surface geometry

surface geometry (aka, differential Geometry)

Atlas: zero Gaussian curvature

What kind of folded shapes can we attain?

- assume no stretching deformations (i.e. developable)

?
Sphere: positive Gaussian curvature
 Origami Mathematics : surface geometry

Atlas: zero Gaussian curvature

Sphere: positive Gaussian curvature

Origami Mathematics : surface geometry

developable surface (i.e. a sheet of paper)

Gaussian curvature is invariant under bending
Origami Mathematics : surface geometry

Kilian et al. (2008)

engineering : curved surfaces from flat sheets
 Origami Mathematics : surface geometry
Image courtesy of Carol M. Highsmith

Frank Gehry (1999)

Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles, USA)
Summary

Origami Mathematics

be aware of certain concepts:

- flat foldability
- rigid foldability
- surface geometry (Gaussian curvature)

It is an active field of mathematics!

Origami : Engineering
Engineering Origami

Engineering Origami :
application of origami to solve technical problems.

Examples from my current research

(i.e. shameless self-promotion):

i) Deployable Space Structures

ii) Folded Meta-Materials
Engineering Origami : deployable

i) Deployable Space Structures

• inflatable satellite de-orbiting device

• large sail structure (2x2m)
• 3U CubeSat

3U CubeSat

2μm mylar membrane Inflatable booms

Engineering Origami : deployable

Inflatable Booms
• Inflatable Antenna Experiment (IAE, 1996)

L'Garde & NASA JPL (1996)

Engineering Origami : deployable

So, how do you fold an inflatable boom?

 Engineering Origami : deployable

So, how do you fold an inflatable boom?

• rolling/coiling
• folding
- z-fold
- origami patterns
ILC Dover (ITSAT)
• conical stowage

Wang and Johnson (2003); NASA LaRC

 Engineering Origami : deployable
Guest and Pellegrino (1994)

origami booms (1/3)

Barker and Guest (2004) Hoberman (1993)

Engineering Origami : deployable

origami booms (2/3)

EADS Astrium

Senda et al (2006)
Engineering Origami : deployable

origami booms (3/3)

- stowed volume (flat-foldable)
- material deformation (rigid-foldable)
- straightness of deployment

Schenk, Viquerat,
Seffen and Guest (2012)
 Engineering Origami : deployable

conical telescopic booms (1/2)

- concentric folds
- telescopic deployment

Palisoc (2004)

L'Garde, ISPSS (2005)

Engineering Origami : deployable

conical telescopic booms (2/2)

experiments

analysis
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

ii) Folded Meta-Materials

“Meta-Material - A synthetic
composite material engineered
to display properties not usually
found in natural materials.”

• fold patterns introduce

kinematic properties
Schenk and Guest (2012)
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

Basic component: Miura-ori sheet

a) Folded Shell Structure

b) Folded Cellular Meta-Material

Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

a) meta-material : Folded Shell Structures

Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

novel property :
• doubly-curved surface
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

novel property :
• negative in-plane Poisson’s ratio
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

novel property :
• positive out-of-plane
Poisson’s ratio
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

application : morphing structures

- change shape
- maintain continuous surface

Example: morphing wings

Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

b) Folded Cellular Meta-Material

- stacking of folded layers
- maintains folding motion
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

novel properties:
- omni-directional negative Poisson's ratio
- highly anisotropic material properties
Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

Folded Sandwich Panel Core

- blast impact mitigation

bla
im st
pa
ct

Schenk, Guest, McShane (2012)

Engineering Origami : Meta-Materials

folded sandwich panel core

- numerical simulations
- core manufacture
Engineering Origami : applications

Engineering Origami :
application of origami to solve technical problems.

i) deployability
ii) increased stiffness
iii) impact absorption
iv) meta-materials
v) energy-efficiency

Miura-ori sheet
 Engineering Origami : deployable
Lang (2003)

i) deployable structures
– space telescope
– solar panels

Miura and Natori (1989)

 Engineering Origami : deployable

i) deployable structures
– solar sails

Guest (1992)

Leipold et al. (2002) JAXA IKAROS (2010)

 Engineering Origami : deployable

i) deployable structures
– emergency shelters
– medical stent
– bio-mechanics Kuribayashi et al. (2006)

de Temmerman (2007)

Kobayashi (1999)
Engineering Origami : deployable

most common fold pattern: Miura-ori

– flat-foldable
– rigid-foldable
 Engineering Origami : deployable

generalized Miura-ori: rigid-foldable and flat-foldable

http://www.tsg.ne.jp/TT/software/ Tachi (2009–2011)

Engineering Origami : deployable

Tachi (2010)
rigid-foldable hyperbola
Engineering Origami : deployable

i) deployable structures
– programmable matter

Hawkes et al. (2010)

Engineering Origami : stiffness

ii) increased stiffness

– architecture : folded plates
 Engineering Origami : stiffness

ii) increased stiffness

– folded plates

Engel (1968)
Origami Engineering : stiffness

ii) increased stiffness

– sandwich panel cores
Miura (1972)

Heimbs (2007)

Rapp (1960)
Engineering Origami : impact resistance

iii) impact resistance

– sandwich panel cores

Tessellated Group (2010)

Elsayed and Basily (2004)

 Engineering Origami : impact resistance
Miura (1969)

iii) impact resistance

– car crash boxes

Wu (2010)

Tarnai (1994)
Engineering Origami : meta-materials

iv) meta-materials
– deployable cellular solids

Miura and Tachi (2010), Tachi (2011)

Engineering Origami : meta-materials

iv) meta-materials
– curved corrugated
shell structures

Norman (2009)

Seffen (2012)
 Engineering Origami : energy efficiency

v) energy-efficient manufacturing
- sheet metal bending
- curved folding

Tachi and Epps (2011)

Engineering Origami : curved folding

• curved folding : RoboFold

www.robofold.com

Rhino3D with Grasshopper and Kangaroo

Summary

Origami Engineering
used for a wide range of technical applications:

i) deployable structures
ii) increased stiffness
iii) impact resistance
iv) meta-materials
v) sheet metal folding

And more applications are being developed!

Origami : Architecture
Origami Architecture : Bauhaus

Josef Albers (1927)

Origami Architecture : applications

1) folded plate roofs / façades

– mechanical advantage
– visual appeal
– materiality : timber, glass, etc.
– approximation to curved surfaces

2) deployable architectural structures

3) transformable / kinematic architecture

Origami Architecture : folded plates

Milo Ketchum (1910-1999)

Origami Architecture : folded plates
Engel (1968)
Origami Architecture : folded plates

Engel (1968)
Origami Architecture : folded plates
Skidmore, Owings and Merill (1956)
US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Colorado Springs
Origami Architecture : folded plates
Miura (1969)

Coppa (1970)

Tonon (1993)
Origami Architecture : folded plates

Renzo Piano (1966)

Mobile Sulphur Extraction Factory, Pomezia, Rome
 Origami Architecture : foldable dome

Ron Resch (1939-2009)

Origami Architecture : Ron Resch
 Origami Architecture : Ron Resch

(1960-1963) http://www.ronresch.com

"Made with Paper Show" Nov. 1967

Origami Architecture : foldable dome

http://flickr.com/photos/72567727@N00/page2/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/elelvis/
Origami Architecture : folded plates

Foreign Office Architects (2002)

Yokohama International Cruise Terminal

http://www.richardsweeney.co.uk
Origami Architecture : folded plates

St. Bridget Church

Gdańsk, Poland

From “Heavenly vaults: from Romanesque to Gothic in European architecture”

Origami Architecture : folded plate

Revival of interest in folded plate structures?

Recent developments
• timber / glass structures
• computer design tools
• free-form geometry (i.e. BLOB architecture)
 Origami Architecture : timber panels

Buri et al. (2009)

 Origami Architecture : timber panels

computer design tools

case study:
temporary chapel of St. Loup

Buri et al. (2009)

Origami Architecture : timber panels

case study:
temporary chapel of St. Loup
Origami Architecture : glass panels

Trometer et al. (2006)

Origami Architecture : glass panels

Olafur Eliasson (2007)

One-way Colour Tunnel

http://flux.net/take-your-time-olafur-eliasson-new-york
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/1647/take-your-time-olafur-eliasson.html
Origami Architecture : free-form

Trautz et al. (2009)

 Origami Architecture : free-form

Heinzelmann (2009)
 Origami Architecture : deployable

De Temmerman (2007)
 Origami Architecture : deployable

http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/10/22/origami-inspired-folding-bamboo-house-by-ming-trang/
Origami Architecture : deployable
http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/03/matthew-malone-recovery-shelter/

accordeon reCover shelter

Boler and Tandon (1967)

 Origami Architecture : deployable

Tachi (2009)
 Origami Architecture : deployable

Emilio Pérez Piñero (1935-1972)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wannesdeprez/466371180/

http://www.u.arizona.edu/~shunter/pinero.jpg
Origami Architecture : deployable

Daniel MacGibbon (2008)

http://designstudio5.blogspot.com/
Origami Architecture : transformable
L’institut du Monde Arabe, Paris
Jean Nouvel (1987)

http://www.archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=851
 Origami Architecture : transformable

Hoberman Arch (2002)

Salt Lake City, USA

Chuck Hoberman
 Origami Architecture : transformable
http://www.adaptivebuildings.com

Chuck Hoberman

Iris Dome, 2000

Worlds Fair, Hannover, Germany
http://www.hoberman.com

Adaptable Sunshade, 2006

Building Center Trust, London, UK
Origami Architecture : transformable

Kiefer Technic Bad Gleichenberg

Giselbrecht + Partner ZT GmbH (2007)
Origami Architecture : transformable
Hyposurface (concept)
Hyposurface Corp (2000)

http://hyposurface.org/
 Origami Architecture : transformable

Robotic Membrane (concept); OrangeVoid

http://www.orangevoid.org.uk
Origami Architecture : transformable

“Responsive Kinematics”, John Hobart-Culleton

Origami : Summary
Summary

Origami Art
recent developments due to computational tools
and improved understanding of its mathematics

Origami Mathematics
– active field of mathematics
– be aware of some of the concepts
• foldability (flat & rigid)
• surface geometry (Gaussian curvature)
Summary

Origami Engineering
used for a variety of applications, mainly for the
design of deployable structures

Origami Architecture
– folded plate structures
• visual appeal / strength / deployability / materiality
– kinematic architecture
• very much under-explored; plenty of challenges
Origami : Workshop
Workshop

Origami Engineering
– 3 different assignments (limited copies of each)
– groups of ~5 people

– explore aspects of
• inflatable foldable cylinders
• curved folding
• …