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An invariant distribution in static granular media

T. Aste1, T. Di Matteo1, M. Saadatfar1,2, T. J. Senden1, Matthias Schröter3 and Harry L. Swinney3

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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.


PACS

45.70.-n Granular systems

81.05.Rm Porous materials; granular materials

45.70.Cc Static sandpiles; granular compaction

Subjects

Condensed matter: structural, mechanical & thermal

Statistical physics and nonlinear systems

Dates

Issue 2 (July 2007)

Received 23 March 2007, in final form 6 June 2007

Published 3 July 2007



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