Gravity Effects in Small-Scale Structural Modeling
Abstract
Experimental research involves exposing both full- and small-scale structures to live weapon effects. Small-scale testing is more economical than full-scale testing, but is subject to data interpretation problems caused mainly by similitude criteria violation, i.e., model distortion. One of the most troublesome causes of distortion in dynamic tests of model structures is gravity. The objective of this effort was to develop concepts and procedures procedures that compensate for gravitational effects without using a centrifuge. The concept is to use Froude scaling which accepts a gravitational acceleration scale factor of unity, but requires the ratio of the stress and mass density scale factors to equal the length scale factor. Model material must therefore be weaker than prototype materials. A survey of potential simulants for soil and concrete was conducted. A proof-of-principle experiment designed to assess the validity of Froude scaling, and three proposed small-scale experiments on shallow buried arches are described.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA209252
Entities
People
- Douglas H. Merkle
- Harry E. Auld
- Tony F. Zahrah
Organizations
- Applied Research Associates (United States)