An experimental study has been conducted on the penetration of silicone rubbers and human skin in vivo by sharp-tipped and flat-bottomed cylindrical punches. A penetrometer was developed to measure the penetration of human skin in vivo, while a conventional screw-driven testing machine was used to penetrate the silicone rubbers. The experiments reveal that the penetration mechanism of a soft solid depends upon the punch tip geometry: a sharp tipped punch penetrates by the formation and wedging open of a mode I planar crack, while a flat-bottomed punch penetrates by the growth of a mode II ring crack. The planar crack advances with the punch, and friction along the flanks of the punch leads to a rising load versus displacement response. In contrast, the flat-bottomed punch penetrates by jerky crack advance and the load on the punch is unsteady. The average penetration pressure on the shank cross section of a flat-bottomed punch exceeds that for a sharp-tipped punch of the same diameter. In addition, the penetration pressure decreases as the diameter of the sharp-tipped punch increases. These findings are in broad agreement with the predictions of Shergold and Fleck [Proc. R. Soc. London, Ser. A (in press)] who proposed models for the penetration of a soft solid by a sharp-tipped and flat-bottomed punch.
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October 2005
Technical Papers
Experimental Investigation Into the Deep Penetration of Soft Solids by Sharp and Blunt Punches, With Application to the Piercing of Skin
Oliver A. Shergold,
Oliver A. Shergold
Department of Engineering,
Cambridge University
, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK
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Norman A. Fleck
Norman A. Fleck
Department of Engineering,
Cambridge University
, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
Oliver A. Shergold
Department of Engineering,
Cambridge University
, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK
Norman A. Fleck
Department of Engineering,
Cambridge University
, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UKJ Biomech Eng. Oct 2005, 127(5): 838-848 (11 pages)
Published Online: February 18, 2005
Article history
Received:
May 21, 2004
Revised:
February 18, 2005
Citation
Shergold, O. A., and Fleck, N. A. (February 18, 2005). "Experimental Investigation Into the Deep Penetration of Soft Solids by Sharp and Blunt Punches, With Application to the Piercing of Skin." ASME. J Biomech Eng. October 2005; 127(5): 838–848. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1992528
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