Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Failure of a granular step.

Saloome Siavoshi1, Arshad Kudrolli

  • 1Department of Physics, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|August 11, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dynamical boundary following and corner trapping of undulating worms.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

Bundling architecture in elastic filaments with applied twist.

Physical review. E·2025
Same author

Soft matter physics of the ground beneath our feet.

Soft matter·2024
Same author

Bendability parameter for twisted ribbons to describe longitudinal wrinkling and delineate the near-threshold regime.

Physical review. E·2024
Same author

Energetics of twisted elastic filament pairs.

Physical review. E·2024
Same author

Computational model of twisted elastic ribbons.

Physical review. E·2023

Granular step failure under gravity is rapid and surface-confined. The final shape is linear, independent of grain size, and predicted by a convective-diffusion model with dissipation.

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Granular Mechanics
  • Material Science

Background:

  • Understanding granular material behavior is crucial in various fields, from geology to engineering.
  • Gravity-driven failures in granular structures present complex dynamic phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the rapid, gravity-driven failure of a granular step made of steel beads.
  • To analyze the surface dynamics and grain motion during the relaxation process.
  • To compare experimental results with a convective-diffusion model.

Main Methods:

  • A granular step of noncohesive steel beads was assembled and held by electromagnets.
  • The step's failure was initiated by switching off the current, releasing the electromagnets.
  • Surface visualization and grain motion tracking were employed throughout the relaxation process.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Initial failure and subsequent flow were confined to the surface of the granular step.
  • The final surface shape was approximately linear and dependent on the initial step angle, but not grain size.
  • The average final slope was comparable to the angle of repose for slowly formed piles.

Conclusions:

  • The study elucidates the surface-dominated failure mechanism in granular steps.
  • A convective-diffusion model qualitatively captures the relaxation dynamics when a flow-dependent dissipation parameter is included.