The locomotion and burrowing of meso-fauna (i.e., small rodents, lizards, etc.) are strongly influenced by the fabric of the soils they inhabit. Micro-sized animals (e.g. ants) can precisely manipulate individual grains to ensure structural integrity. However, meso-scale animals are somehow capable of shaping networks of soil grains for desired results, despite being incapable of precisely manipulating individual grains. Understanding how meso-scale animals locomote and burrow in a variety of soils can help us model and predict how soils will behave during novel explorations in challenging terrains.
People
Talia
Moore
ME, ROB
Engineering
F. Estéfan
T. Garcia
CEE
Engineering
Funding: $30K (2022)
Goal: We will perform experiments with live jerboas (bipedal desert rodents) to observe their locomotion and burrowing behaviors on sands of various hydration levels, then impregnate the sand with a resin and determine the spatial pattern of grains using XRCT.
Token Investors: Talia Moore, F. Estéfan T. Garcia
Project ID: 1008