Probe Indentation: A Mesoscale Approach to Characterise Powder Systems: Experimental Investigation of Monomodel and Bimodal Diameter Distributions of Glass Spheres

Abstract

AbstractAn experimental study investigating a novel power characterisation method is investigated. The scope of this experimental work is to assess the feasibility, suitability and sensitivity of small scale probe indentation as a mechanism by which Discrete element method (DEM) may be calibrated. This meso–scale approach is chosen for investigation since it bridges the gap between the single‐particle methodologies of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and bulk measurements such as shear cell testing. Five different mono‐modal populations of glass bead and bi‐modal blends of these populations have been examined. The force‐displacement profile from a spherical probe was measured during indentation into a powder bed. Discernable differences in the resultant force‐profile are quantifiable and a mechanism has been proposed for the physical basis of these different characteristics.