Energy absorption of origami inspired structures and materials

Origami structures are commonly constructed by folding a two-dimensional sheet according to a given crease pattern. The existence of abundant crease patterns means that many three-dimensional structures can be fabricated by using a variety of sheet materials, including thin-walled tubes and arcs. Some origami structures can also be used as core structures, sandwich plates, or arcs, whereas other such structures can be stacked to form metamaterials, which are materials designed to possess a property that is not readily available in nature. Because the mechanical performances of these structures are commonly dependent upon their geometry, the properties of these structures can be designed and adjusted through the selection and optimization of the appropriate geometric parameters. This review focuses on the deformation and energy absorption (EA) capability of origami structures subjected to static and dynamic loading. The main characteristics and findings are summarized, and further work in the area is suggested.