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Visualization and penetration by Maryland 

Rapid penetration into soils is studied using reduced scale tests. Refractive index-matched fused quartz, with geotechnical properties closely mimicking those of natural angular sands, is used as the target media. Penetration tests are performed by accelerating spheres or conical rods into the soil target. Meso scale kinematic interactions are probed during penetration by means of high-speed imaging. An embedded plane of dyed fused quartz within the sample allows observations of soil deformation during the penetration. The images are analyzed using digital image correlation. The analyses suggest that soil velocity in the soil-projectile interaction zone decays rapidly with distance from the projectile, diminishing to zero within 4 diameters of the penetrator.

In a typical experiment, an intruder is dropped by an electromagnet at a fixed height into the bed as shown below.  The impact is imaged internally as the intruder penetrates the sample.  The bed is restored to its initial state by stirring for several minutes.

(a) An image sequence of the dropping procedure. (b) An interior image sequence of the
intruder penetration

Active Investigator

Wolfgang Losert [link]

Kerstin Nordstrom [link]