L. Mahadevan
Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard University
Wrinkling, draping and crumpling
Bending a thin sheet is easier than stretching it, an observation which has its roots in geometry rather than physics. The consequences of this simple fact allow us to analyze many examples involving the large deformations of thin elastic sheets. I will start by considering the wrinkling of a stretched sheet or of an elephant's trunk, then turn to the aesthetic drapes of a fabric, briefly discuss the intricate folds in origami, and close with a discussion of a violently crumpled sheet that is the fate of many a calculation gone awry.