The simulation of a dynamic penetration in Martian soil
NASA's InSight mission will send a lander to Mars in 2018, carrying a seismometer and a heat flow and physical properties probe (HP³) as the two key instruments. HP³ will be inserted in 3 to 5 metres depth to perform thermal measurements of the planetary heat flow. The probe will be pushed into the ground by a self-penetrating mechanism. The penetration rate of HP³ will provide information on the mechanical properties of Martian soil in the first 5 meters below the surface.
Hence, a simulation of the penetration process has been prepared to investigate the penetration performance in di fferent environments. A particle code is used to model the granular material as well as the complete hammering mechanism of HP³. The simulation provides information on the stresses and deformations
in the soil introduced by the cyclic loading as well as the resistance force acting on the penetrator. These informations are currently used to interprete an unexpected penetration behaviour observed in lab tests and will be later on used to determine mechanical soil properties at the landing site of InSight.