Dynamics of drag and force distributions for projectile impact in a granular medium.
Our experiments and molecular dynamics simulations on a projectile penetrating a two-dimensional granular medium reveal that the mean deceleration of the projectile is constant and proportional to the impact velocity. Thus, the time taken for a projectile to decelerate to a stop is independent of its impact velocity. The simulations show that the probability distribution function of forces on grains is time independent during a projectile's deceleration in the medium. At all times the force distribution function decreases exponentially for large forces.
Pica Ciamarra
Massimo
M
Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA. picacia@na.infn.it
Lara
Antonio H
AH
Lee
Andrew T
AT
Goldman
Daniel I
DI
Vishik
Inna
I
Swinney
Harry L
HL