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VISUALIZATION AND PENETRATION BY CALTECH

Impact and penetration into granular media has important applications, from meteor cratering and projectile impingement to animal and robot locomotion on sandy terrains. Interest in low velocity impact and shallow cratering in granular media has increased significantly within the physics community in the past two decades. Research has focused on understanding the basic mechanisms governing penetrator dynamics, impact duration, penetration depth, and crater sizes. These basic mechanisms have been recognized as having a microscopic origin.

To further the research, low velocity impact experiments were performed.  A 1.22 m tall by 0.81 m wide granular bed was prepared between a PVC plate and a Plexiglas window. An aluminum frame was used to create a 1.11 cm gap between the PVC and Plexiglas. The granular bed was composed of several hundred rubber grains made from polyurethane (E¼5.85 MPa, ν¼0.48, μp¼0.5). Two grain diameters were used: 2.54 and 3.175 cm. All grains had thickness 0.95 cm.

Granular element method and DIC to visualize force chains in penetration into granular media

Principal Investigators

José E. Andrade [link]