Browse Topic: Soils
ABSTRACT Researchers at Caterpillar have been using Finite Element Analysis or Method (FEA or FEM), Mesh Free Models (MFM) and Discrete Element Models (DEM) extensively to model different earthmoving operations. Multi-body dynamics models using both flexible and rigid body have been used to model the machine dynamics. The proper soil and machine models along with the operator model can be coupled to numerically model an earthmoving operation. The soil – machine interaction phenomenon has been a challenging matter for many researchers. Different approaches, such as FEA, MFM and DEM are available nowadays to model the dynamic soil behavior; each of these approaches has its own limitations and applications. To apply FEA, MFM or DEM for analyzing earthmoving operations the model must reproduce the mechanical behavior of the granular material. In practice this macro level mechanical behavior is not achieved by modeling the exact physics of the microfabric structure but rather by
A new robotic suction cup which can grasp rough, curved, and heavy stone, has been developed by scientists at the University of Bristol. The team, based at Bristol Robotics Laboratory, studied the structures of octopus biological suckers, which have superb adaptive suction abilities enabling them to anchor to rock
The manufacturing landscape is undergoing a transformation, propelled by the need for innovative, efficient, and precise technology that can effectively replace expensive manual labor. This article examines advancements in Flexiv’s material abrasion technology, specifically focusing on sanding and polishing applications and the utility of force control technology
Lunar landing and launch pads represent critical infrastructure for enabling a sustained presence on the Moon or other planetary bodies. Such a Moon presence would require repeated lunar landings and takeoffs, preferably near an outpost or habitat. In the absence of takeoff and landing pads, such vehicles could project lunar regolith at high velocities, sandblasting the surrounding infrastructure and causing damage
Storing energy is one of the key challenges for implementing sustainable but intermittent electricity sources like solar and wind. Engineers at Sandia National Laboratories are collaborating with New Mexico-based CSolPower LLC to develop a very affordable method of accomplishing that storage
In Penn’s Clean Energy Conversions Lab, researcher Peter Psarras and colleagues are repurposing waste from industrial mines, storing carbon pulled from the atmosphere into newly formed rock. The team sees great environmental potential in mine tailings, the sand and sludge left behind after the sought-after ore gets removed. With samples in the lab, they’re trying to determine just how much calcium and magnesium each contains, how to best carbonate it with CO2, how and where they can store the result, and whether the process is scalable
Litter is not only a problem on Earth. According to NASA, there are currently millions of pieces of space junk in the range of altitudes from 200 to 2000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, which is known as low-Earth orbit (LEO). Most of the junk is comprised of objects created by humans, like pieces of old spacecraft or defunct satellites. This space debris can reach speeds of up to 18,000 miles per hour, posing a major danger to the 2612 satellites that currently operate at LEO. Without effective tools for tracking space debris, parts of LEO may even become too hazardous for satellites
When asked about the most dreaded tasks on the manufacturing floor, many teams point to sanding, grinding, or polishing. These unforgiving tasks can be tedious, time-consuming, and hazardous, leading to respiratory illnesses and repetitive motion injuries. In today’s economic climate, finding workers willing to perform these taxing jobs can be challenging. Yet, they are often necessary when assembling metal, composite, or other parts into manufactured products
A team at Delft University of Technology has built a new technology on a microchip by combining two Nobel Prize-winning techniques for the first time. This microchip could measure distances in materials at high precision — e.g., underwater or for medical imaging. The work is now published in Nature Communications. Because the technology uses sound vibrations instead of light, it is useful for high-precision position measurements in opaque materials. The instrument could lead to new techniques to monitor the Earth’s climate and human health
Exploring and developing permanent infrastructure on Mars requires the development of technologies to enable safe and efficient operations, from landing, roving, and extravehicular activities (EVAs) to prospecting, evaluating, acquiring, extracting, and utilizing local resources. Martian regolith is likely to be the main resource used for initial Martian in situ resource utilization (ISRU) to lessen the amount of resources and supplies that must be launched at high cost from Earth and take up precious cargo space
The analysis of lipid biomarkers has gained increasing importance within environmental and archaeological fields because biomarkers are representative of plant and animal sources. Proven gold standard laboratory techniques for lipid biomarker extraction are laborious, with many opportunities for human error. As a solution, NASA Ames Research Center has developed a novel technology that provides an autonomous, miniaturized fluidic system for lipid analysis. The technology, in a single instrument, can accept an unprocessed soil, rock, or ice sample, comminute the sample, extract lipids via sonication and blending, filter out mineral residue, concentrate the analyte, and deliver the aliquot to downstream analytical instruments for molecular characterization, without requiring intervention from a human operator
Scientists have uncovered how heavy, motorized objects climb steep slopes — a newly discovered mechanism that also mimics how rock climbers navigate inclines. The finding stems from a series of experiments in which motorized objects were placed in liquid and then moved up tilted surfaces. These “micro-swimmers” are about 20 times heavier than the fluid they swim in but they were able to climb almost vertical steep slopes
Researchers from MIT’s Improbable Artificial Intelligence Lab, part of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), have developed a legged robotic system that can dribble a soccer ball under the same conditions as humans. The bot used a mixture of onboard sensing and computing to traverse different natural terrains such as sand, gravel, mud, and snow, and adapt to their varied impact on the ball’s motion. Like every committed athlete, “DribbleBot” could get up and recover the ball after falling
A team of researchers at University of California, Riverside, has moved a step closer to finding a use for the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic waste produced every year that often winds up clogging streams and rivers and polluting our oceans
“This is the equivalent of having a wearable health sensor on your body that tells you in real-time what’s happening. Think of it as a wearable for the soil,” said Dr. Shalini Prasad. “We are excited about the potential for our soil sensors to provide more accurate testing of living soil in its ecosystem
Ionospheric variability is a critical consideration for communication systems, GNSS, and space asset management. At high magnetic latitudes, the convergent magnetic field acts as a lens, focusing electromagnetic power originating from solar wind-magnetosphere interactions into a limited latitudinal range. The geometry and ensuing complex coupling processes result in extreme multi-scale time-dependent variations in the structure and composition of the ionized gases in Earth’s outer atmosphere. Understanding the mechanisms and technological consequences of these interactions benefits from distributed heterogeneous time-dependent measurements of the ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere system, and their application as constraints on predictive space weather models
The oceans make up 71 percent of Earth’s surface and absorb about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released into the atmosphere. For the past 2.6 billion years, the oceans have been converting CO2 to ocean fish food (phytoplankton) through the process of photosynthesis. Now, a technology developed by Ocean-Based Climate Solutions, a startup located in Santa Fe, NM, is converting CO2 to phytoplankton using wave energy
Scientists at NASA’s Langley Research Center have developed a novel concept for a lunar navigation system based on the reverse-ephemeris technique. Typically, range-related signal measurements from the Earth’s surface are used to locate and track orbital objects (satellites) and establish the ephemeris describing their orbits. For this reverse-ephemeris lunar navigation concept, the process is reversed to give lunar surface position fixes using the known ephemeris of a satellite in lunar orbit
To make sure our buildings and infrastructure are earthquake-safe, we must understand how seismic activity affects different structures. Two major research efforts funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) seek to fill in the gaps and provide resources for researchers and engineers to study earthquakes across scales, from the initiation of seismic waves at the fault rupture site deep underground, to the interactions between shaking soil and individual structures at the surface
A small amount of simulated crushed Martian rock mixed with a titanium alloy made a stronger, high-performance material in a 3D-printing process that one day could be used on Mars to make tools or rocket parts. The parts were made by Washington State University researchers with as little as 5 percent up to 100 percent Martian regolith, a black powdery substance meant to mimic the rocky, inorganic material found on the surface of Mars
Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can globally monitor dynamic processes on the Earth’s Surface. The last SAR to be developed and deployed by NASA was in the year 2000. This system’s high costs inhibited development of new and improved designs. NASA has now developed a new, state-of-the-art SAR system that can provide capabilities beyond established systems and at a fraction of the cost
The concept of remote sensing, which is defined as sensing information of an object or objects from far away, has been a major endeavor from the very beginning of space exploration. With this exploration from outer space came a myriad of opportunities that not only answered questions about other worlds, but also allowed us to explore our own world. This includes a better understanding of the earth’s surface: land, water, and atmosphere
California-based 3DEO unveiled in February its new metal 3D printing platform and patented technology, Saffron. The proprietary platform has been in development for the past five years. “Until now, we have revealed very little about our patented technology, and for good reason - we felt we had a tiger by the tail and wanted to gain as much advantage as possible,” said Matt Sand, 3DEO's co-founder and president. Using a hybrid additive manufacturing (AM) process that leverages binder jetting and CNC machining, the next-generation printer achieves superior results in terms of surface finish, material properties and dimensional accuracy, Sand said. The build area is 81 sq. in. (523 sq. cm), covered by eight spindles operating at 60,000 rpm with micron-level positional accuracy. Depending on part geometry or print speed required, the printer can automatically vary layer thickness anywhere from 50 to 500 microns
Transporting a single brick to Mars is extremely expensive, making the future construction of a Martian colony seem impossible. Scientists have now developed a way to potentially overcome this problem by creating a concrete-like material made of extraterrestrial dust along with the blood, sweat, and tears of astronauts
Rotavator is an active tillage implement for breaking the Soil and for the preparation of seed bed for cultivation. The Farmers are currently facing problem due to usage of sub optimal speed of Rotavator which results in more fuel consumption, takes more time for completion of operation. Also, the Current Rental models work on Tractor + Implement as rental combination and customer not able to rent Rotavator as a standalone implement due to non-availability of Tracking information such as hours of utilization on Rotavator. Farmers not able to maintain the service periodicity, if oil change not done in prescribed duration then it may result in improper maintenance and breakdown of the Rotavator. To overcome these problems a smart Rotavator developed consists of an electronic unit fitted on the Rotavator shaft to measure the speed of the shaft rotation and in turn convert to Rotavator speed and also able to convert into Hours of usage based on the starting and stopping of the rotavator
The United Nations predicts that by 2050 many areas of the planet may not have enough fresh water to meet the demands of agriculture if we continue our current patterns of use. One solution to this global dilemma is the development of more efficient irrigation, central to which is precision monitoring of soil moisture, allowing sensors to guide ‘smart’ irrigation systems to ensure water is applied at the optimum time and rate
Mercury Systems Andover, MA
For remote sensing spectrometers, wavelength-scanned laser emissions are used to capture the absorption spectrum of targets to perform measurement of soil and/or gas. Previous techniques to accomplish these measurements have involved combining multiple fixed-wavelength lasers to detect a single species, limiting the scope and effectiveness of the instruments
The rolling hills of Mars or the Moon are a long way from the nearest tow truck. That’s why the next generation of exploration rovers will need to be good at climbing hills covered with loose material and avoiding entrapment on soft granular surfaces
The design trend for interior parts of cars in light colors in shades of beige and grey is a global reality and has increased the demand in new models replacing traditional black color. One of the most important features for the appearance is to keep the color and stay clean the surface of the car interior parts. This development aims to improve the resistance to dirt and staining on artificial leather applied in seat cover with light colors. Comparative dirt and staining trials were conducted with soil, coffee and indigo jeans through abrasion testing by Crocking, followed by clean fabric removal. The performance evaluation was done by through microscopy assays, spectrophotometry to analyze color variation after dirt test in the original samples and dirt test in the same samples exposed to XENON and heat for aging. Finally, this development brings solutions that improves consumer satisfaction. The improved life cycle performance of the car seat surfaces kept clean is the core of this
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