Indenting a thick gel with a solid spherical inclusion
Published in European Journal of Mechanics - A/Solids, 2024
Abstract
A spherical inclusion is embedded in a soft gel block. A vertical force is applied on the gel surface by means of a spherical indenter. The loading axis is not aligned with the inclusion but placed at a horizontal offset displacement from the inclusion. The measurement of indentation force and inclusion trajectory are compared to the computational results from two-dimensional (2D) Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations. A discernible instability emerges when the indentation reaches a critical depth, in accordance with the Southwell instability theory. The three-dimensional (3D) trajectory shows distinct features that were previously not captured by the 2D FEA simulations.
Authors
Duo Wen, Zihan Lin, Yustianto Tjiptowidjojo, Kai-tak Wan
Links
Recommended citation: Wen, D., Lin, Z., Tjiptowidjojo, Y., & Wan, K. (2024). Indenting a thick gel with a solid spherical inclusion. European Journal of Mechanics - A/Solids, 106, 105343.
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