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Sheared force networks: anisotropies, yielding, and geometry
Jacco H Snoeijer1, Wouter G Ellenbroek, Thijs J H Vlugt
1Physique et Mécanique des Milieux Hétérogènes, UMR 7636 CNRS-ESPCI, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Physical Review Letters
|April 12, 2006
Summary
Granular matter yielding occurs as shear stress increases, causing force networks to shrink and contacts to break. This leads to an isostatic state and predicts the yield stress for granular packings.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Granular materials exhibit complex behaviors under stress.
- Understanding yielding is crucial for predicting material failure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a scenario for granular matter yielding.
- To analyze the evolution of force networks with increasing shear stress.
Main Methods:
- Considering the ensemble of force networks for a given contact network.
- Analyzing the probability distribution of contact forces.
- Investigating the subspace of allowed force networks.
Main Results:
- Force distributions become anisotropic with increasing shear stress.
- The subspace of allowed force networks shrinks.
- Contact breakage occurs at maximal shear stress, leading to an isostatic state.
Conclusions:
- The size of the allowed subspace shows scaling properties.
- A prediction for the yield stress of granular packings is derived based on these properties.