title: Wave propagation in one-dimensional microscopic granular chains.
abstract: We employ noncontact optical techniques to generate and measure stress waves in uncompressed, one-dimensional microscopic granular chains, and support our experiments with discrete numerical simulations. We show that the wave propagation through dry particles (150 μm radius) is highly nonlinear and it is significantly influenced by the presence of defects (e.g., surface roughness, interparticle gaps, and misalignment). We derive an analytical relation between the group velocity and gap size, and define bounds for the formation of highly nonlinear solitary waves as a function of gap size and axial misalignment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.|Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Wei-Hsun
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.|Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daraio