Crashworthiness analysis and parametric investigation on two-dimensional origami corrugated structures

In this study, a novel dimensional extension strategy is proposed to enhance the crushing efficiency and energy absorption performance of kirigami corrugated structures by extending the design from one-dimensional to two-dimensional space. Based on this approach, three star-shaped structures are developed. The quasi-static crushing behavior and energy absorption characteristics of the proposed two-dimensional structures are experimentally investigated. Additionally, finite element method (FEM) simulations are conducted to predict the deformation modes and energy absorption capabilities of the Thin-Walled Struct.ures. The numerical results are further utilized to analyze the contribution of plastic deformation in different regions to the overall energy absorption. The crushing performances of the proposed two-dimensional origami corrugated structures are compared with those of the conventional kirigami corrugated structure. Parametric studies are also carried out to evaluate the effects of the number of corners, the height of the vertical triangular surfaces, and the width-to-height ratio on the crushing behavior. Both the number of corners and the height of the vertical triangular surfaces are found to play critical roles in optimizing the energy absorption efficiency and crushing behavior of the proposed structures. Experimental results indicate that the proposed structures exhibit a higher and more stable crushing force without inducing a significantly high initial peak crushing force. Moreover, the energy absorption capacity and crushing resistance are significantly improved compared to the one-dimensional kirigami design, demonstrating excellent adaptive crushing performance.