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Understanding the mechanics of object motion through granular media is essential for applications in terrain navigation, agricultural engineering, and planetary exploration. This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation into the drag and lift forces acting on rigid bodies of different geometries—including flat plates and wedge-shaped objects—moving at controlled speeds and burial depths through a dry granular bed. A custom-designed, high-precision towing apparatus equipped with a six-axis force sensor was used to collect real-time force data. Results demonstrate strong coupling between drag/lift forces and object geometry, speed, and immersion depth. Flat plates exhibited periodic force fluctuations linked to granular rearrangements, while wedge models induced sharp force spikes and varied lift characteristics depending on front-edge inclination. Notably, increasing towing speed led to nonlinear changes in resistance, suggesting non-negligible inertial effects even in low-velocity regimes. These findings provide experimental insights into the dynamics of granular drag and inform the design of optimized devices for granular locomotion and interaction.

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Experimental Investigation of Drag and Lift Forces on Objects Moving Through Granular Media with Varying Geometries and Speeds

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Chundong Liu,
  • Xiaopu Hao,
  • Zhiqiang Song,
  • Qiang Zhang,
  • Shuai Kang,
  • Longchuan Li

摘要

Understanding the mechanics of object motion through granular media is essential for applications in terrain navigation, agricultural engineering, and planetary exploration. This study presents a comprehensive experimental investigation into the drag and lift forces acting on rigid bodies of different geometries—including flat plates and wedge-shaped objects—moving at controlled speeds and burial depths through a dry granular bed. A custom-designed, high-precision towing apparatus equipped with a six-axis force sensor was used to collect real-time force data. Results demonstrate strong coupling between drag/lift forces and object geometry, speed, and immersion depth. Flat plates exhibited periodic force fluctuations linked to granular rearrangements, while wedge models induced sharp force spikes and varied lift characteristics depending on front-edge inclination. Notably, increasing towing speed led to nonlinear changes in resistance, suggesting non-negligible inertial effects even in low-velocity regimes. These findings provide experimental insights into the dynamics of granular drag and inform the design of optimized devices for granular locomotion and interaction.