Simulation of Quasi-Static Folding and Deployment of Ultra-Thin Composite Structures

This paper presents a detailed study of the folding and deployment of a slotted tube hinge made from a two-ply laminate of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic. A physical model of a particular version of this hinge has been used to carry out quasi-static deployment tests and this process has been fully captured through a finite element simulation. The first stage in this simulation was to generate the fully folded, strained configuration of the hinge. The second stage in the simulation was to gradually decrease the relative rotation between the ends until it became zero. By analysing the in-plane strains and out-of-plane curvatures in the folded configuration we have confirmed that the particular hinge design that has been studied could be folded without permanent damage.