Conceptual design of a single-crease origami-arc inspired movable footbridge structure

Origami, the craft of folding paper, has been a source of inspiration for developable foldable systems in various engineering disciplines. Origami inspired segmented plate systems result in lightweight and stiff structures that change shape by folding. With curved-crease origami, a three-dimensional change in shape can arise from a single fold mechanism. In this paper, the curved crease mechanism of a single-crease arc is investigated as the driver for the conceptual design of a movable footbridge. The folding mechanism is investigated using particle-spring models and small-scale physical models. The structural feasibility of a 40 m radius curved-crease origami-inspired movable footbridge is investigated using finite element analysis. Static analysis and sizing according to US footbridge design code are presented for the critical configurations of the footbridge. Results show that the footbridge can meet typical civil engineering design criteria and illustrate the potential of curved crease folding mechanisms to inspire the development of movable structures.