Microgravity experiments on granular materials

Abstract

An account is given of planned NASA microgravity experiments which will be performed during future Space Shuttle flights, in conjunction with ground-based tests. Attention is given to the analytical and experimental issues that emerge in connection with such constitutive modeling of grannular materials. The presence of heterogeneous strain and stress fields within terrestrial specimens of such materials renders the derivation of unambiguous, objective properties, and the formulation of relevant constitutive equations, nearly impossible.