Experimental and analytical investigation of the Spin-Valence kirigami space frame

Abstract

The Spin-Valence kirigami space frame is an innovative deployable structure invented by Emily Baker, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas in the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. Professor Baker's motivation and research approaches concerning the creation of this original frame draw from "disciplined play" with patterns in search of creative, structurally refined solutions (Baker 2014, 2018). Kirigami is a Japanese tradition which corresponds to a variation of origami, which includes cutting of paper (from Japanese "kiru" = to cut, "kami" = paper) rather than only folding the paper as is the case with origami. Through her process of design and invention, she developed an empirical approach to structural design. Manipulating shapes, cutting patterns, and making physical models enables her to elaborate the Spin-Valence kirigami space frame, which is particularly promising from both the architectural and structural points of view. Indeed, the Spin- Valence deployable system converts a continuous sheet of steel into a structural space frame, to simultaneously achieve lightweight transparency with span that is large relative to its thickness. The paper aims to establish and present the structural characterization of the Spin-Valence frame. To achieve this goal, theoretical calculations and experimental testing, both conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have been compared. Analytical exploration of the Spin-Valence are developed in this study to reach an improved understanding of the structural behavior of this creative space frame. The goals of these identifications being to eventually suggest a full characterization of the Spin-Valence in terms of capacity.