Conformations and nonlinear deformation behaviors of elastic loop structure subjected to circumferential compression force

Abstract

This paper investigates the three-dimensional deformation (conformation) of multi-jointed elastic loop structure, which is repeatedly connected with bellows-type tube segments and revolute hinges. Fabricating the multi-jointed elastic loop structures and demonstrating the traction-deformation tests, we observed that the structures with the different numbers of segments (n = 8, 12, and 16) form the unique conformations induced by torsional rotations of the discrete hinges. In particular, the structures with n = 12 and 16 secondary exhibit the folding modes as a whole after the conformations. According to the image processing of deformation, we identified the onset of the folding modes.