Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Visually Based Characterization of the Incipient Particle Motion in Regular Substrates: From Laminar to Turbulent Conditions
Published on: February 22, 2018
Stripe formation in granular mixtures due to the differential influence of drag
P Sánchez1, Michael R Swift, P J King
1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
We describe an investigation of fluid-immersed granular mixtures subjected to horizontal vibration. For sufficiently large amplitudes of vibration, a mixture of equal-sized glass and bronze particles in water is found to separate into a striped pattern. Numerical simulations based on soft-sphere molecular dynamics coupled to the interstitial fluid are able to capture many of the features observed experimentally. We propose a general pattern-formation mechanism based on the differential influence of drag on the components of the mixture. An expression for the number of stripes as a function of the system parameters is derived and shown to be in good agreement with experiments.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Drag
Viscosity
The SI unit of viscosity is...
Drag Force and Terminal Speed
Boundary Layer Characteristics
Design Example: Aggregate Gradation
The grading, or particle-size distribution, of sand is determined using sieve analysis, with standard sizes ranging from 150 μm to 10 mm (ASTM No. 100 sieve to 3⁄8 in. sieve). Sand is sampled...
Newtonian Fluid: Problem Solving
A velocity gradient forms within the fluid when a Newtonian fluid is placed between two parallel plates, with...

