Can the Miura-Ori Fold be Used for Better and Stronger Pipes?

Overview

The Miura-Ori origami repeating parallelogram pattern was invented by Kōryō Miura, an astrophysicist investigating solutions on how large, thin metal sheets can be folded into a small space. This pattern is used to help deploy satellite's solar panels. In 2025, Wu, a 14 year old student found that the Miura-Ori fold patterns can hold 10,000 times its weight. This project expands on Wu’s findings and investigates how much pressure a paper cylinder with Miura-Ori fold patterns can withstand compared to a regular cylinder made without such patterns. Results show no significant difference in the average pressure withstood between control and Miura-Ori pattern cylinders. However, Miura-Ori cylinders show significantly less structural damage compared to controls. Findings from my project show that incorporating the Miura-Ori pattern into pipes could contribute to less damage when high pressure pipes fails or explodes, therefore limiting the environmental impact when accidents happen.

Awards (3)

• Challenge Award
• Silver Medal
• Selected for CWSF 2026

Competition history

• CWSF 2026 Natural Resources

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