Fundamental challenges in packing problems: from spherical to non-spherical particles
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Three-Dimensional Particle Shape Analysis Using X-ray Computed Tomography: Experimental Procedure and Analysis Algorithms for Metal Powders
Published on: December 4, 2020
1School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK.
Abstract:
Random packings of objects of a particular shape are ubiquitous in science and engineering. However, such jammed matter states have eluded any systematic theoretical treatment due to the strong positional and orientational correlations involved. In recent years progress on a fundamental description of jammed matter could be made by starting from a constant volume ensemble in the spirit of conventional statistical mechanics. Recent work has shown that this approach, first introduced by S. F. Edwards more than two decades ago, can be cast into a predictive framework to calculate the packing fractions of both spherical and non-spherical particles.
More Related Videos
06:16Fabrication of Spherical and Worm-shaped Micellar Nanocrystals by Combining Electrospray, Self-assembly, and Solvent-based Structure Control
Published on: February 11, 2018
10:28Experimental Measurement of Settling Velocity of Spherical Particles in Unconfined and Confined Surfactant-based Shear Thinning Viscoelastic Fluids
Published on: January 3, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Theorems of Pappus and Guldinus: Problem Solving
Spherical Coordinates
Spherical and Cylindrical Capacitor
Conventionally, considering the symmetry, the electric field between the concentric shells of a spherical capacitor is directed radially outward. The magnitude of the field,...
Gauss's Law: Spherical Symmetry
Equations of Motion: Rectangular Coordinates and Cylindrical Coordinates
When a particle moves relative to an inertial frame, the equations of motion can be expressed using rectangular components. If the motion is confined to the x-y plane, the equations having the x and y coordinates only can be used to simplify the mathematical representation.
However, when particles...
Gravity between Spherical Bodies
This assumption can be proved easily by showing that the expression for gravitational potential energy between a hollow sphere of mass (M) and a point mass (m) is the same as it would be for a pair of extended...