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  • Open Access

Corner topology makes woven baskets into stiff, yet resilient metamaterials

Guowei Wayne Tu1 and Evgueni T. Filipov1,2,*

  • 1Deployable and Reconfigurable Structures Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
  • 2Deployable and Reconfigurable Structures Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

  • *Contact author: filipov@umich.edu
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033193 – Published 26 August, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9srl-9gsc

Abstract

Basket weaving is a traditional craft used to create practical three-dimensional (3D) structures. While the geometry and aesthetics of baskets have received considerable attention, the underlying mechanics and modern engineering potential remain underexplored. This work shows that 3D woven structures offer similar stiffness yet substantially higher resilience than their nonwoven continuous counterparts. We explore corner topologies that serve as building blocks to convert two-dimensional woven sheets into 3D metamaterials that can carry compressive loads. Under small deformations, the woven corners exhibit axial stiffness similar to continuous structures because the woven ribbons are engaged with in-plane loads. Under large deformations, the woven corners can be compressed repeatedly without plastic damage because ribbons can undergo elastic local buckling. We present a modular platform to assemble woven corners into complex spatial metamaterials and demonstrate applications including damage-resilient robotic systems and metasurfaces with tailorable deformation modes. Our results explain the historic appeal of basket weaving, where readily available ribbons are crafted into 3D structures with comparable stiffness yet far superior resilience to continuous systems. The modular assembly of woven metamaterials can further revolutionize design of next-generation automotive components, consumer devices, soft robots, and more where both resilience and stiffness are essential.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033193– Published 26 August, 2025
  • Received 26 March 2025
  • Accepted 28 June 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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