Modeling and Kinematic Path Selection of Retractable Kirigami Roof Structures

This article proposes a numerical method for the kinematic path modeling of retractable roof structures based on the concept of kirigami. The kinematics of origami structures have been studied by many researchers. However, the singular point in the kinematic path which will crucially affect the overall performance of the structure has not been investigated. In this article, the method to detect the singular point in the kinematic path is first introduced. Then, a prediction-correction algorithm is developed to simulate the motion along a uniquely determined path. A second-order program is used to select kinematic paths deviating from a singular point. After that, the proposed method is applied in the kinematic modeling of a kirigami structure to show its accuracy.