We investigate the mechanics of thin sheets decorated by noninteracting creases. The system considered here consists of parallel folds connected by elastic panels. We show that the mechanical response of the creased structure is twofold, depending both on the bending deformation of the panels and the hingelike intrinsic response of the crease. We show that a characteristic length scale, defined by the ratio of bending to hinge energies, governs whether the structure’s response consists in angle opening or panel bending when a small load is applied. The existence of this length scale is a building block for future works on origami mechanics.

• Received 4 April 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.244301