Modeling the self-penetration process of a bio-inspired probe in granular soils

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Robotics
• Civil Infrastructure

Background:

• Soil penetration is crucial for civil infrastructure but is energy-intensive.
• Current methods often rely on large, external equipment for soil penetration.
• Understanding burrower-soil interactions is key for developing autonomous penetration systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically investigate the self-penetration process of an 'anchor-tip' probe.
• To enhance the mechanics-based understanding of burrower-soil interactions at civil infrastructure scales.
• To provide design guidance for future self-penetrating probes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) simulations.
• Simulated an idealized probe with an 'anchor-tip' burrowing strategy in noncohesive soil.
• Analyzed probe-soil interactions, focusing on anchor and tip behavior.

Main Results:

• Self-penetration conditions were found to improve with increased simulated soil depth.
• Favorable probe configurations include shorter anchor-tip distances and larger anchor dimensions (length, expansion).
• Higher anchor friction coefficients positively influence self-penetration.

Conclusions:

• The study provides insights into scaling burrowing forces for civil infrastructure applications.
• Design parameters like anchor geometry and friction significantly impact self-penetration efficiency.
• Findings offer practical guidance for developing more effective self-penetrating probes.