Experimental investigation on drilling anchorage for asteroid exploration based on digital image correlation

Anchorage is an important means in geotechnical engineering and has a wide range of application scenarios. This study aims to investigate the anchorage failure mechanism of a drilling anchor device for asteroid exploration using the digital image correlation (DIC) method. A high-speed camera records the anchorage failure experiment process, and the recorded images are adopted to calculate the displacement and strain of geomaterials by DIC. The anchorage failure processes in different drilling depths, anchoring angles, and geomaterials are analyzed based on DIC calculation results and failure surface theory. The results indicate that the formation process and area of the failure surface significantly impact the anchoring force. Moreover, cracks on the geomaterial's surface indicate that the anchorage is on the verge of failure. This research would contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing anchorage performance and provide a reference for anchoring engineering and asteroid detection missions. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors influencing anchorage performance and enhances the knowledge in anchoring engineering and asteroid detection missions.