32 research outputs found
Effect of boundaries on the force distributions in granular media
The effect of boundaries on the force distributions in granular media is
illustrated by simulations of 2D packings of frictionless, Hertzian spheres. To
elucidate discrepancies between experimental observations and theoretical
predictions, we distinguish between the weight distribution {\cal P} (w)
measured in experiments and analyzed in the q-model, and the distribution of
interparticle forces P(f). The latter one is robust, while {\cal P}(w) can be
obtained once the local packing geometry and P(f) are known. By manipulating
the (boundary) geometry, we show that {\cal P}(w) can be varied drastically.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Constraint optimization and landscapes
We describe an effective landscape introduced in [1] for the analysis of
Constraint Satisfaction problems, such as Sphere Packing, K-SAT and Graph
Coloring. This geometric construction reexpresses these problems in the more
familiar terms of optimization in rugged energy landscapes. In particular, it
allows one to understand the puzzling fact that unsophisticated programs are
successful well beyond what was considered to be the `hard' transition, and
suggests an algorithm defining a new, higher, easy-hard frontier.Comment: Contribution to STATPHYS2
Organization of atomic bond tensions in model glasses
In order to understand whether internal stresses in glasses are correlated or
randomly distributed, we study the organization of atomic bond tensions (normal
forces between pairs of atoms). Measurements of the invariants of the atomic
bond tension tensor in simulated 2D and 3D binary Lennard-Jones glasses, reveal
new and unexpected correlations and provide support for Alexander's conjecture
about the non-random character of internal stresses in amorphous solids
From crystal to amorphopus: a novel route towards unjamming in soft disk packings
It is presented a numerical study on the unjamming packing fraction of bi-
and polydisperse disk packings, which are generated through compression of a
monodisperse crystal. In bidisperse systems, a fraction f_+ = 40% up to 80% of
the total number of particles have their radii increased by \Delta R, while the
rest has their radii decreased by the same amount. Polydisperse packings are
prepared by changing all particle radii according to a uniform distribution in
the range [-\Delta R,\Delta R]. The results indicate that the critical packing
fraction is never larger than the value for the initial monodisperse crystal,
\phi = \pi/12, and that the lowest value achieved is approximately the one for
random close packing. These results are seen as a consequence of the interplay
between the increase in small-small particle contacts and the local crystalline
order provided by the large-large particle contacts.Comment: two columns, 14 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Eur.
Phys. J.
On the study of jamming percolation
We investigate kinetically constrained models of glassy transitions, and
determine which model characteristics are crucial in allowing a rigorous proof
that such models have discontinuous transitions with faster than power law
diverging length and time scales. The models we investigate have constraints
similar to that of the knights model, introduced by Toninelli, Biroli, and
Fisher (TBF), but differing neighbor relations. We find that such knights-like
models, otherwise known as models of jamming percolation, need a ``No Parallel
Crossing'' rule for the TBF proof of a glassy transition to be valid.
Furthermore, most knight-like models fail a ``No Perpendicular Crossing''
requirement, and thus need modification to be made rigorous. We also show how
the ``No Parallel Crossing'' requirement can be used to evaluate the provable
glassiness of other correlated percolation models, by looking at models with
more stable directions than the knights model. Finally, we show that the TBF
proof does not generalize in any straightforward fashion for three-dimensional
versions of the knights-like models.Comment: 13 pages, 18 figures; Spiral model does satisfy property
Sliding Luttinger liquid phases
We study systems of coupled spin-gapped and gapless Luttinger liquids. First,
we establish the existence of a sliding Luttinger liquid phase for a system of
weakly coupled parallel quantum wires, with and without disorder. It is shown
that the coupling can {\it stabilize} a Luttinger liquid phase in the presence
of disorder. We then extend our analysis to a system of crossed Luttinger
liquids and establish the stability of a non-Fermi liquid state: the crossed
sliding Luttinger liquid phase (CSLL). In this phase the system exhibits a
finite-temperature, long-wavelength, isotropic electric conductivity that
diverges as a power law in temperature as . This two-dimensional
system has many properties of a true isotropic Luttinger liquid, though at zero
temperature it becomes anisotropic. An extension of this model to a
three-dimensional stack exhibits a much higher in-plane conductivity than the
conductivity in a perpendicular direction.Comment: Revtex, 18 pages, 8 figure
Granular discharge and clogging for tilted hoppers
We measure the flux of spherical glass beads through a hole as a systematic
function of both tilt angle and hole diameter, for two different size beads.
The discharge increases with hole diameter in accord with the Beverloo relation
for both horizontal and vertical holes, but in the latter case with a larger
small-hole cutoff. For large holes the flux decreases linearly in cosine of the
tilt angle, vanishing smoothly somewhat below the angle of repose. For small
holes it vanishes abruptly at a smaller angle. The conditions for zero flux are
discussed in the context of a {\it clogging phase diagram} of flow state vs
tilt angle and ratio of hole to grain size
Generation of Porous Particle Structures using the Void Expansion Method
The newly developed "void expansion method" allows for an efficient
generation of porous packings of spherical particles over a wide range of
volume fractions using the discrete element method. Particles are randomly
placed under addition of much smaller "void-particles". Then, the void-particle
radius is increased repeatedly, thereby rearranging the structural particles
until formation of a dense particle packing.
The structural particles' mean coordination number was used to characterize
the evolving microstructures. At some void radius, a transition from an
initially low to a higher mean coordination number is found, which was used to
characterize the influence of the various simulation parameters. For structural
and void-particle stiffnesses of the same order of magnitude, the transition is
found at constant total volume fraction slightly below the random close packing
limit. For decreasing void-particle stiffness the transition is shifted towards
a smaller void-particle radius and becomes smoother.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure
Jamming at Zero Temperature and Zero Applied Stress: the Epitome of Disorder
We have studied how 2- and 3- dimensional systems made up of particles
interacting with finite range, repulsive potentials jam (i.e., develop a yield
stress in a disordered state) at zero temperature and applied stress. For each
configuration, there is a unique jamming threshold, , at which
particles can no longer avoid each other and the bulk and shear moduli
simultaneously become non-zero. The distribution of values becomes
narrower as the system size increases, so that essentially all configurations
jam at the same in the thermodynamic limit. This packing fraction
corresponds to the previously measured value for random close-packing. In fact,
our results provide a well-defined meaning for "random close-packing" in terms
of the fraction of all phase space with inherent structures that jam. The
jamming threshold, Point J, occurring at zero temperature and applied stress
and at the random close-packing density, has properties reminiscent of an
ordinary critical point. As Point J is approached from higher packing
fractions, power-law scaling is found for many quantities. Moreover, near Point
J, certain quantities no longer self-average, suggesting the existence of a
length scale that diverges at J. However, Point J also differs from an ordinary
critical point: the scaling exponents do not depend on dimension but do depend
on the interparticle potential. Finally, as Point J is approached from high
packing fractions, the density of vibrational states develops a large excess of
low-frequency modes. All of these results suggest that Point J may control
behavior in its vicinity-perhaps even at the glass transition.Comment: 21 pages, 20 figure
Dynamics of quantum Hall stripes in double-quantum-well systems
The collective modes of stripes in double layer quantum Hall systems are
computed using the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation. It is found that,
when the system possesses spontaneous interlayer coherence, there are two
gapless modes, one a phonon associated with broken translational invariance,
the other a pseudospin-wave associated with a broken U(1) symmetry. For large
layer separations the modes disperse weakly for wavevectors perpendicular to
the stripe orientation, indicating the system becomes akin to an array of
weakly coupled one-dimensional XY systems. At higher wavevectors the collective
modes develop a roton minimum associated with a transition out of the coherent
state with further increasing layer separation. A spin wave model of the system
is developed, and it is shown that the collective modes may be described as
those of a system with helimagnetic ordering.Comment: 16 pages including 7 postscript figure