Tensile behaviour and energy absorption of thin-walled tubes with origami patterns

This study explores the deployment behavior and energy absorption performance of origami-based thin-walled tubes, known as origami bellows, under axial tension. The investigation is carried out through numerical simulations, theoretical analysis, and experimental validation. Various deformation processes of origami bellows with different geometries are simulated, and analytical models for mean tensile force are developed based on the observed deformation mechanisms. The potential applications of origami bellows include serving as flexible joints for pipelines that need to accommodate movement caused by seismic activity or blast loading, safety ropes for mitigating falling accidents, and arresting cables for aircraft carriers.