Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
05:46
3D Printing Bacteria to Study Motility and Growth in Complex 3D Porous Media
Published on: January 19, 2024
Swimming in granular media.
Takashi Shimada1, Dirk Kadau, Troy Shinbrot
1Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan. shimada@ap.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Summary
Sand swimmers move through deserts by fluidizing sand. Optimal agitation balances bed rigidity for support and fluidity for motion, revealing key dynamics of granular materials.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Robotics
- Zoology
Background:
- Sand swimmers, a reptile group, burrow in deserts for thermoregulation.
- Their locomotion in granular media offers insights into intruder dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physics of locomotion in granular beds.
- To determine optimal conditions for idealized sand swimmers.
Main Methods:
- Event-driven simulations of periodic intruder motion in granular beds.
- Analysis of granular fluidization and solidification dynamics.
Main Results:
- Identified critical fluidization conditions for efficient movement.
- Demonstrated that excessive agitation creates voids, hindering traction.
- Showed that slow movement leads to solidification, impeding progress.
Conclusions:
- Optimal intruder motion requires precise control over granular bed fluidization.
- Understanding granular dynamics is crucial for designing artificial burrowing systems.
- Locomotion in granular media is governed by a fundamental time scale.
