Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar Series

Title: "Homogenizing Origami and Kirigami Metamaterials"

Abstract: Shape-morphing finds widespread utility, from the deployment of small stents and large solar sails to actuation and propulsion in soft robots. Kirigami and origami metamaterials, formed by repeating patterns of slits, creases and panels, are a versatile platform for shape-morphing, inspiring the design of many morphing structures and devices. However, it remains a challenge to predict the response of these and other metamaterial systems to a broad range of loads and stimuli, especially under large deformations.

This talk describes general theoretical principles for homogenizing origami and kirigami metamaterials. Our broad goal is to derive, from first principles, an effective mechanical theory for their bulk deformations, valid in the limit of a large number of building blocks. The first part discusses kirigami; the second discusses origami. We present the foundational ingredients of the theory, along with numerical and experimental demonstrations of its predictive power.

Bio: Paul Plucinsky is an Assistant Professor in the USC Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. His research interests lie at the interface of solid mechanics, materials science and mathematic, where he applies a theory-guided approach to range of topics including the design and modeling of origami and kirigami metamaterials. Prior to joining USC in 2020, Paul was a Postdoctoral Scholar in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Caltech in 2017, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering and M.S. in Structural engineering at the University of Michigan in 2011. He received the NSF CAREER Award in 2023.