Experimental proof-of-concept of the effect of inlet geometry on excavation forces and their reduction for small-scale continuous excavators.
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| Title: | Experimental proof-of-concept of the effect of inlet geometry on excavation forces and their reduction for small-scale continuous excavators. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Just, G. H.1,2 (AUTHOR), Roy, M. J.1,3 (AUTHOR), Joy, K. H.4 (AUTHOR), Smith, K. L.1 (AUTHOR) kate.smith@manchester.ac.uk |
| Source: | Acta Geotechnica. Jan2024, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p55-70. 16p. |
| Subjects: | Reduced gravity environments, Lunar soil, Proof of concept, Excavation (Civil engineering), Lunar surface |
| Abstract: | Future in situ resource utilisation (ISRU) lunar mission concepts will require mechanisms that allow the available feedstock–mainly the lunar regolith–to be extracted from the lunar surface. Such extraction techniques in the reduced gravity environment of the Moon will need to minimise excavation forces, due to mass restrictions for robotic landers/vehicles and the large financial implications of placing cargo onto Earth's satellite. An investigation of necessary excavation forces, both horizontally as well as vertically, for small-scale continuous lunar excavation systems based on their geometric inlet shapes, cutting angles, and digging depths has been undertaken. The use of vibration to disaggregate lunar soil and to reduce the necessary forces is explored as a proof-of-concept. Tests performed in a large analogue testbed have shown that the optimisation of the cutting geometry is crucial, as it inherently influences the necessary forces or even prevents deeper cuts into the soil. Our experiments indicate that shallow cuts (low digging depth) into soil at shallow angles are beneficial, and that the piling up of large surcharge masses must be avoided. Critically, applying vibration to cutting edges seems highly beneficial, as the achievable force reductions of up to 50% in the tested conditions far outweigh the additional power requirements. To make these implications immediately applicable to a wider audience, an estimation of available traction forces for certain robotic vehicles based on their mass is added for comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Acta Geotechnica is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 175022699 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Experimental proof-of-concept of the effect of inlet geometry on excavation forces and their reduction for small-scale continuous excavators. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Just%2C+G%2E+H%2E%22">Just, G. H.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roy%2C+M%2E+J%2E%22">Roy, M. J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joy%2C+K%2E+H%2E%22">Joy, K. H.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+K%2E+L%2E%22">Smith, K. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> kate.smith@manchester.ac.uk</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Acta+Geotechnica%22">Acta Geotechnica</searchLink>. Jan2024, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p55-70. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reduced+gravity+environments%22">Reduced gravity environments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lunar+soil%22">Lunar soil</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Proof+of+concept%22">Proof of concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Excavation+%28Civil+engineering%29%22">Excavation (Civil engineering)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lunar+surface%22">Lunar surface</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Future in situ resource utilisation (ISRU) lunar mission concepts will require mechanisms that allow the available feedstock–mainly the lunar regolith–to be extracted from the lunar surface. Such extraction techniques in the reduced gravity environment of the Moon will need to minimise excavation forces, due to mass restrictions for robotic landers/vehicles and the large financial implications of placing cargo onto Earth's satellite. An investigation of necessary excavation forces, both horizontally as well as vertically, for small-scale continuous lunar excavation systems based on their geometric inlet shapes, cutting angles, and digging depths has been undertaken. The use of vibration to disaggregate lunar soil and to reduce the necessary forces is explored as a proof-of-concept. Tests performed in a large analogue testbed have shown that the optimisation of the cutting geometry is crucial, as it inherently influences the necessary forces or even prevents deeper cuts into the soil. Our experiments indicate that shallow cuts (low digging depth) into soil at shallow angles are beneficial, and that the piling up of large surcharge masses must be avoided. Critically, applying vibration to cutting edges seems highly beneficial, as the achievable force reductions of up to 50% in the tested conditions far outweigh the additional power requirements. To make these implications immediately applicable to a wider audience, an estimation of available traction forces for certain robotic vehicles based on their mass is added for comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Acta Geotechnica is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s11440-023-01914-4 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 55 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Reduced gravity environments Type: general – SubjectFull: Lunar soil Type: general – SubjectFull: Proof of concept Type: general – SubjectFull: Excavation (Civil engineering) Type: general – SubjectFull: Lunar surface Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Experimental proof-of-concept of the effect of inlet geometry on excavation forces and their reduction for small-scale continuous excavators. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Just, G. H. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Roy, M. J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Joy, K. H. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Smith, K. L. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Text: Jan2024 Type: published Y: 2024 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 18611125 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 19 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Acta Geotechnica Type: main |
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