Non-contact methods for measuring craters formed on soil after a drop impact

The splash phenomenon is one of the stages of water erosion, i.e. a process that causes soil degradation. The crux of splash is the detachment and displacement of soil particles due to the impact of raindrops. Another important aspect of the phenomenon is that a deformation called a crater is formed at the point of the impact. Research on craters helps to expand the knowledge of the splash phenomenon and may contribute to understanding its relationship with successive stages of water erosion. The quantities used to describe the deformation include static dimensions (e.g. depth or diameter of the crater) and dynamic quantities to describe the course of the deformation (e.g. the time for the crater to reach a stable shape). The small size of the craters and the high dynamics of their formation induce the use of accurate and advanced measurement methods.

The aim of the work is to present selected non-contact methods for measuring craters formed on soil after a drop impact.

The study was focused on photography, high-speed imaging, 3D surface modelling, and computed tomography (CT). The discussion of the methods includes a brief description of the measurements, the range of quantities that can be determined with the methods, and indication of their strengths and weaknesses. Knowledge of these issues allows making an informed choice of measurement methods when planning new experiments or projects, which may significantly affect the results that can be obtained.

 

References

Mazur, R.; Ryżak, M.; Sochan, A.; Beczek, M.; Polakowski, C.; Bieganowski, A. Soil Deformation after Water Drop Impact—A Review of the Measurement Methods. Sensors 2023, 23, 121. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23010121

This work was partially supported by the National Science Centre, Poland within the framework of project no. 2020/37/N/ST10/03363.