In-flight sand hopper

In-flight sand hopper may be used to build sand embankment in centrifuge. A sand hopper developed by PHRI are show in the photograph. The camber of the hopper is separated into small compartments in which sand is put before test. When the sliding plate connected to the motor jack moves to adjust holes to base plate holes, sand in the compartments dropped to the model ground surface. Since dropping sand particles subject the Coriolis force, guide skirts may be set beneath each compartments in order to drop sand particles vertically (Takemura et al. 1991).

Takemura, J., Watabe, Y., Suemasa, N., Hirooka, A. and Kimura, T. (1991) : Stability of soft clay improved with sand compaction piles, Proc. of 9th Asian Reg. Conf. on SMFE, Vol. 1, pp. 543-546.