Mechanical characterization of jammable granular systems

The mode by which a granular material can transition between fluid-like and solid-like states has been often referred to as jamming. The use of this property (via vacuum pressure) for engineering applications has only recently been explored. Several possible applications are presented. However, thorough characterization of mechanical properties and material selection for jammed systems has not been reported. Glass beads of differing size distributions, silica blasting media, sand, and ground coffee were tested under different vacuum pressures in a procedure similar to an unconsolidated-undrained triaxial compression test for soils. Coffee was found to have the highest strength to weight ratio. Literature predictions of the trend between applied pressure and effective Young' modulus was also investigated.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Hudson, Shaymus William

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Neri Oxman.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• 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.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/75850

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/75850