Analysis of mechanical behaviors of waterbomb thin-shell structures under quasi-static load

Abstract

Waterbomb structures are origami-inspired deformable structural components used in new types of robots. They have a unique radially deployable ability that enables robots to better adapt to their environment. In this paper, we propose a series of new waterbomb structures with square, rectangle, and parallelogram base units. Through quasi-static axial and radial compression experiments and numerical simulations, we prove that the parallelogram waterbomb structure has a twist displacement mode along the axial direction. Compared with the square waterbomb structure, the proposed optimal design of the parallelogram waterbomb structure reduces the critical axial buckling load-to-weight ratio by 55.4% and increases the radial stiffness-to-weight ratio by 67.6%. The significant increase in the radial stiffness-to-weight ratio of the waterbomb structure and decrease in the critical axial buckling load-to-weight ratio make the proposed origami pattern attractive for practical robotics applications.

Design and implementation of origami robot ROS-based SLAM and autonomous navigation

“…Young Lee and others developed a dual-magic-ball-wheel vehicle [ 24 ] by driving a magic-ball wheel made of polyimide film and paper with a heated shape-memory alloy spiral spring and a passive spring. Professor Zhao Lijuan’s team analyzed and optimized the water-bomb structure wheel used in coal mine rescue robots [ 25 ]. However, as a thin-shell structure, the water-bomb structure still faces some challenges [ 26 ].…”