A nondimensional model for axial digging in granular materials
Name
913746740-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
2.69 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
7341a0507004d6ef1105943b00ab9ef6
Author(s)
Li, Hao, S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Advisor(s)
Anette (Peko) Hosoi.
Date Issued
2015
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
We investigate the mechanics of thin diggers in a packing of granular materials. Experiments were conducted by pushing diggers of varying thickness into the granular packing and recording the force-depth data. The digger is modeled as a column in buckling; its column effective length factor is calculated. We solve two optimization problems. First, we limit the axial force the digger is allowed to experience and analytically solve for the maximum depth dug. This analysis is compared to experimental data. Second, we fix the digger's final depth and estimate the thickness that minimizes digging energy. A stochastic algorithm is proposed to model the digger's axial force as a function of depth, taking into account the force distribution at each depth. We then calculate the energy required for a digger of each thickness to reach a fixed depth and compare with experimental data.
Description
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (page 29).
Subjects
Mechanical Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Terms of Use
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Persistent DSpace Link
