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Our sand pluviator system provides precise and repeatable preparation of dry sand beds for centrifuge modelling and 1-g physical tests. The device consists of a stainless-steel hopper mounted on a traveling carriage that moves along rails spanning the length of the model container (approximately XX cm). Sand flows from the hopper through an adjustable slot and diffuser screens to form a uniform “curtain” of particles that rains into the box. By controlling the drop height (from about XX to XX cm), the slot opening, and the traverse speed of the carriage, the system can produce deposits over a wide range of target relative densities, while minimizing spatial variability across the plan area and depth of the model.

The pluviator is designed for flexibility and easy calibration. Interchangeable sieves and orifice plates allow the system to accommodate different sands and desired deposition rates, while a simple control panel (or motor drive) sets the travel speed and discharge conditions. The frame and rails are sized to fit our standard centrifuge containers (up to roughly XX × XX cm in plan) and can be reconfigured quickly for rigid, laminar, or specialized boxes used in soil–structure interaction experiments. Routine calibration tests (using bulk density measurements or in-box CPT/penetration soundings) are used to establish curves relating operating settings to relative density, ensuring that researchers can prepare consistent loose, medium-dense, or dense sand beds for liquefaction, foundation, embankment, and buried infrastructure studies.