Abstract
The compaction characteristics of powder in the range of low normal stress under several hundreds Pascal are discussed. The compaction characteristics are compared with the shear properties of the powder. The compaction process consists of two processes even though the normal stress is limited in the low stress region.
The compaction properties in the first process are affected by the cohesion of the sample powder, and the properties in the second process are affected by the mechanical properties of the powder, such as cohesion and the internal friction coefficient. However the compaction properties cannot be estimated by the mechanical properties obtained by shear tests because of the difference in the void fraction during these tests. The compaction test is very suitable to measure the characteristics of a powder with a high void fraction, such as an aerated powder.
