An invariant distribution in static granular media

Schröter M, Aste T, Di Matteo T, Saadatfar M, Senden T, Swinney HL (2007)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2007

Journal

EPL - Europhysics Letters Institute of Physics: EPL

Publisher: Institute of Physics: EPL

Book Volume: 79

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/79/24003

Abstract

We have discovered an invariant distribution for local packing configurations in static granular media. This distribution holds in experiments for packing fractions covering most of the range from random loose packed to random close packed, for bead packs prepared both in air and in water. Assuming only that there exist elementary cells in which the system volume is subdivided, we derive from statistical mechanics a distribution that is in accord with the observations. This universal distribution function for granular media is analogous to the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for molecular gasses.

Authors with CRIS profile

Matthias Schröter Lehrstuhl für Multiscale Simulation of Particulate Systems

Involved external institutions

Australian National University (ANU) AU Australia (AU) University of Texas at Austin US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Schröter, M., Aste, T., Di Matteo, T., Saadatfar, M., Senden, T., & Swinney, H.L. (2007). An invariant distribution in static granular media. EPL - Europhysics Letters, 79(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075/79/24003

MLA:

Schröter, Matthias, et al. "An invariant distribution in static granular media." EPL - Europhysics Letters 79.2 (2007).

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