Stress response function of a granular layer: quantitative comparison between experiments and isotropic elasticity

• Main Authors: Serero, D, Reydellet, G, Claudin, P, Clément, E, Levine, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 31-07-2001
• Subjects: Physics - Disordered Systems and Neural Networks; Physics - Materials Science; Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics; Physics - Other Condensed Matter; Physics - Quantum Gases; Physics - Soft Condensed Matter; Physics - Statistical Mechanics; Physics - Strongly Correlated Electrons; Physics - Superconductivity
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0107626

We measured the vertical pressure response function of a layer of sand
submitted to a localized normal force at its surface. We found that this
response profile depends on the way the layer has been prepared: all profiles
show a single centered peak whose width scales with the thickness of the layer,
but a dense packing gives a wider peak than a loose one. We calculate the
prediction of isotropic elastic theory in presence of a bottom boundary and
compare it to the data. We found that the theory gives the right scaling and
the correct qualitative shape, but fails to really fit the data.