Experimental and theoretical study of penetration of spherical solids into wet sand

Results of a series of inverted laboratory experiments on the normal impact of spherical bodies onto targets made of wet sand (with humidity of 10%) and water-saturated sand (with humidity of 18–20%) placed into cylindrical metallic containers are reported. Experimental data are compared with results calculated by a modified Godunov difference method. Changes in the forces of resistance to penetration at different stages of the impact interaction process are analyzed, and the influence of humidity and granulometric composition of sand on the maximum values of forces at different impact velocities is studied. The maximum force of resistance for sand with 20% humidity is found to be smaller by a factor of 1.5–2 than that for dry sand.