353 research outputs found
Size segregation and convection
The size segregation of granular materials in a vibrating container is
investigated using Molecular Dynamics. We find that the rising of larger
particles is accompanied by the existence of convection cells even in the case
of the lowest possible frequencies. The convection can, however, also be
triggered by the larger particle itself. The possibility of rising through this
mechanism strongly depends on the depth of the larger particle.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
The anisotropy of granular materials
The effect of the anisotropy on the elastoplastic response of two dimensional
packed samples of polygons is investigated here, using molecular dynamics
simulation. We show a correlation between fabric coefficients, characterizing
the anisotropy of the granular skeleton, and the anisotropy of the elastic
response. We also study the anisotropy induced by shearing on the subnetwork of
the sliding contacts. This anisotropy provides an explanation to some features
of the plastic deformation of granular media.Comment: Submitted to PR
Internal states of model isotropic granular packings. I. Assembling process, geometry and contact networks
This is the first paper of a series of three, reporting on numerical
simulation studies of geometric and mechanical properties of static assemblies
of spherical beads under an isotropic pressure. Frictionless systems assemble
in the unique random close packing (RCP) state in the low pressure limit if the
compression process is fast enough, slower processes inducing traces of
crystallization, and exhibit specific properties directly related to
isostaticity of the force-carrying structure. The different structures of
frictional packings assembled by various methods cannot be classified by the
sole density. While lubricated systems approach RCP densities and coordination
number z^*~=6 on the backbone in the rigid limit, an idealized "vibration"
procedure results in equally dense configurations with z^*~=4.5. Near neighbor
correlations on various scales are computed and compared to available
laboratory data, although z^* values remain experimentally inaccessible. Low
coordination packings have many rattlers (more than 10% of the grains carry no
force), which should be accounted for on studying position correlations, and a
small proportion of harmless "floppy modes" associated with divalent grains.
Frictional packings, however slowly assembled under low pressure, retain a
finite level of force indeterminacy, except in the limit of infinite friction.Comment: 29 pages. Published in Physical Review
Numerical modeling of the tension stiffening in reinforced concrete members via discontinuum models
[prova tipográfica]This study presents a numerical investigation on the fracture mechanism of tension stiffening phenomenon in reinforced concrete members. A novel approach using the discrete element method (DEM) is proposed, where three-dimensional randomly generated distinct polyhedral blocks are used, representing concrete and one-dimensional truss elements are utilized, representing steel reinforcements. Thus, an explicit representation of reinforced concrete members is achieved, and the mechanical behavior of the system is solved by integrating the equations of motion for each block using the central difference algorithm. The inter-block interactions are taken into consideration at each contact point with springs and cohesive frictional elements. Once the applied modeling strategy is validated, based on previously published experimental findings, a sensitivity analysis is performed for bond stiffness, cohesion strength, and the number of truss elements. Hence, valuable inferences are made regarding discontinuum analysis of reinforced concrete members, including concrete-steel interaction and their macro behavior. The results demonstrate that the proposed phenomenological modeling strategy successfully captures the concrete-steel interaction and provides an accurate estimation of the macro behavior
Non-Gaussian Velocity Distribution Function in a Vibrating Granular Bed
The simulation of granular particles in a quasi two-dimensional container
under the vertical vibration as an experimental accessible model for granular
gases is performed. The velocity distribution function obeys an
exponential-like function during the vibration and deviates from the
exponential function in free-cooling states. It is confirmed that this
exponential-like distribution function is produced by Coulomb's friction force.
A Langevin equation with Coulomb's friction is proposed to describe the motion
of such the system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. to be published in Journal of Physical Society of
Japan Vol.73 No.
Rheophysics of dense granular materials : Discrete simulation of plane shear flows
We study the steady plane shear flow of a dense assembly of frictional,
inelastic disks using discrete simulation and prescribing the pressure and the
shear rate. We show that, in the limit of rigid grains, the shear state is
determined by a single dimensionless number, called inertial number I, which
describes the ratio of inertial to pressure forces. Small values of I
correspond to the quasi-static regime of soil mechanics, while large values of
I correspond to the collisional regime of the kinetic theory. Those shear
states are homogeneous, and become intermittent in the quasi-static regime.
When I increases in the intermediate regime, we measure an approximately linear
decrease of the solid fraction from the maximum packing value, and an
approximately linear increase of the effective friction coefficient from the
static internal friction value. From those dilatancy and friction laws, we
deduce the constitutive law for dense granular flows, with a plastic Coulomb
term and a viscous Bagnold term. We also show that the relative velocity
fluctuations follow a scaling law as a function of I. The mechanical
characteristics of the grains (restitution, friction and elasticity) have a
very small influence in this intermediate regime. Then, we explain how the
friction law is related to the angular distribution of contact forces, and why
the local frictional forces have a small contribution to the macroscopic
friction. At the end, as an example of heterogeneous stress distribution, we
describe the shear localization when gravity is added.Comment: 24 pages, 19 figure
Sedimentation and Flow Through Porous Media: Simulating Dynamically Coupled Discrete and Continuum Phases
We describe a method to address efficiently problems of two-phase flow in the
regime of low particle Reynolds number and negligible Brownian motion. One of
the phases is an incompressible continuous fluid and the other a discrete
particulate phase which we simulate by following the motion of single
particles. Interactions between the phases are taken into account using locally
defined drag forces. We apply our method to the problem of flow through random
media at high porosity where we find good agreement to theoretical expectations
for the functional dependence of the pressure drop on the solid volume
fraction. We undertake further validations on systems undergoing gravity
induced sedimentation.Comment: 22 pages REVTEX, figures separately in uudecoded, compressed
postscript format - alternatively e-mail '[email protected]' for
hardcopies
A Model for Force Fluctuations in Bead Packs
We study theoretically the complex network of forces that is responsible for
the static structure and properties of granular materials. We present detailed
calculations for a model in which the fluctuations in the force distribution
arise because of variations in the contact angles and the constraints imposed
by the force balance on each bead of the pile. We compare our results for force
distribution function for this model, including exact results for certain
contact angle probability distributions, with numerical simulations of force
distributions in random sphere packings. This model reproduces many aspects of
the force distribution observed both in experiment and in numerical simulations
of sphere packings
Granular flow down a rough inclined plane: transition between thin and thick piles
The rheology of granular particles in an inclined plane geometry is studied
using molecular dynamics simulations. The flow--no-flow boundary is determined
for piles of varying heights over a range of inclination angles . Three
angles determine the phase diagram: , the angle of repose, is the
angle at which a flowing system comes to rest; , the maximum angle
of stability, is the inclination required to induce flow in a static system;
and is the maximum angle for which stable, steady state flow is
observed. In the stable flow region , three
flow regimes can be distinguished that depend on how close is to
: i) : Bagnold rheology, characterized by a
mean particle velocity in the direction of flow that scales as
, for a pile of height , ii)
: the slow flow regime, characterized by a linear
velocity profile with depth, and iii) : avalanche flow
characterized by a slow underlying creep motion combined with occasional free
surface events and large energy fluctuations. We also probe the physics of the
initiation and cessation of flow. The results are compared to several recent
experimental studies on chute flows and suggest that differences between
measured velocity profiles in these experiments may simply be a consequence of
how far the system is from jamming.Comment: 19 pages, 14 figs, submitted to Physics of Fluid
Pore-scale Modeling of Viscous Flow and Induced Forces in Dense Sphere Packings
We propose a method for effectively upscaling incompressible viscous flow in
large random polydispersed sphere packings: the emphasis of this method is on
the determination of the forces applied on the solid particles by the fluid.
Pore bodies and their connections are defined locally through a regular
Delaunay triangulation of the packings. Viscous flow equations are upscaled at
the pore level, and approximated with a finite volume numerical scheme. We
compare numerical simulations of the proposed method to detailed finite element
(FEM) simulations of the Stokes equations for assemblies of 8 to 200 spheres. A
good agreement is found both in terms of forces exerted on the solid particles
and effective permeability coefficients
- …