Fluctuations, correlations and transitions in granular materials: statistical mechanics for a non-conventional system.
In this work, we first review some general properties of dense granular materials. We are particularly concerned with a statistical description of these materials, and it is in this light that we briefly describe results from four representative studies. These are: experiment 1: determining local force statistics, vector forces, force distributions and correlations for static granular systems; experiment 2: characterizing the jamming transition, for a static two-dimensional system; experiment 3: characterizing plastic failure in dense granular materials; and experiment 4: a dynamical transition where the material 'freezes' in the presence of apparent heating for a sheared and shaken system.
Behringer
R P
RP
Department of Physics and Center for Nonlinear and Complex Systems, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0320, USA. bob@phy.duke.edu
Daniels
Karen E
KE
Majmudar
Trushant S
TS
Sperl
Matthias
M