FURI | Fall 2018

Mechanical Characterization of Porous Geological Materials

Stopping astronomical bodies from impacting the Earth requires a knowledge of their physical properties. The purpose of this research is to characterize these properties of meteorites, and to understand their behavior under low-velocity impact. Equipment from ASU’s Adaptive Intelligent Materials and Systems Center will be used to perform compression tests, non-destructive evaluation, and low-velocity impact testing (with a single-stage gas gun) on meteorite samples. The gun, will be calibrated for Helium; theoretical predictions and experimental measurements of pressure and velocity relationships will be performed and compared, ensuring reliable testing. Results from this research will provide insight into global security.