Theoretical model of granular compaction

Conference · Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:548757

Ben-Naim, E ^[1]; Knight, J B ^[2]; Nowak, E R ^[3]; Jaeger, H M; Nagel, S R ^[4]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Physics
3. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States). Dept. of Physics
4. Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States). James Franck Inst.

Experimental studies show that the density of a vibrated granular material evolves from a low density initial state into a higher density final steady state. The relaxation towards the final density follows an inverse logarithmic law. As the system approaches its final state, a growing number of beads have to be rearranged to enable a local density increase. A free volume argument shows that this number grows as N = {rho}/(1 {minus} {rho}). The time scale associated with such events increases exponentially e{sup {minus}N}, and as a result a logarithmically slow approach to the final state is found {rho} {infinity} {minus}{rho}(t) {approx_equal} 1/lnt.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 548757
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-97-2604; CONF-9705192-; ON: DE98000813; TRN: AHC29724%%160
• Resource Relation: Conference: 17. CNLS annual conference on nonlinear waves and solitons in physical systems, Los Alamos, NM (United States), 12-16 May 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
GRANULAR MATERIALS
COMPACTING
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
MECHANICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS