Corrugation

Corrugation refers to the process of shaping a material into a series of parallel ridges and grooves. This is commonly seen in corrugated materials, such as cardboard or metal sheets. The purpose of corrugation is often to add strength and rigidity to the material while maintaining flexibility. In the case of corrugated cardboard, for example, the corrugated structure provides strength and helps the material withstand pressure and impacts. Corrugated metal sheets are used in roofing and packaging for similar reasons.

Corrugation adds complexity to the basic surface area calculation.  Without corrugation the surface area of a rectangle can be calculated as length time width.  To account for corrugation, and in essence flatten the surface area calculation, one can use a Corrugation Factor (CF) that can by applied to a dimension (e.g., width) in order to make an accurate surface area of a corrugated surface calculation.

Corrugation can have a smooth (curved) or straight segment pattern with squared ends in its profile.