Algorithmic Design and Simulation of Soft Curved-Folding: A Case Study with Minimally-Stretchable Sheet Goods

This paper addresses challenges in designing soft curve-folded (Demaine et al. 2011) non-paper-like materials using origami-inspired principles. The novel generalized method presented is validated through the case study of a sculpture made of fiber cement boards. Unlike paper, this material requires soft folds to prevent tearing. The authors employ digital simulation, in Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, to design the soft curve-folded sculpture and to develop a mold for shaping uncured cement boards. The algorithmic approach consists of creating an appropriate crease-aware mesh, folding it through constrained elastic simulation (Song et al. 2024), and subsequently assigning specific folding forces to mountain and valley folds. Additionally, carefully designed user input constraints enable better control of the shape. The proposed manufacturing process involves manually folding the wet fiber cement board by draping it onto a rigid single-sided mold to guide the folding and prevent tearing or stretching.