Frictional shear test of granular media in pseudo low-gravity field using a magnetic device

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25420084
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Design engineering/Machine functional elements/Tribology
• Research Institution: Yokohama National University
• Principal Investigator: Ozaki Shingo 横浜国立大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (20408727)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Yamanashi Yuki 横浜国立大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (70467059)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 設計工学 / トライボロジー / テラメカニクス / 計算力学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The rational treatment of the frictional interaction between lunar soil and a mechanical system is one of the several technical issues encountered during lunar operations. Therefore, it has become essential to come up with a method to evaluate frictional interaction on lunar surface environment, which is characterized by soft ground, low gravity, and high vacuum. In this study, first a test apparatus was developed to perform the rotational shear test of granular media. Then, a magnetic field device was combined with the friction test apparatus to investigate the effect of gravity on frictional interaction. Using the developed test apparatus, the test was performed under a pseudo low-gravity condition. This enabled the investigation of variations in frictional torque between the granular media and various solid surfaces, with respect to the time elapsed, under the pseudo low-gravity conditions.

Free Research Field

材料力学