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Updated: Mar 15, 2026

An Analog Macroscopic Technique for Studying Molecular Hydrodynamic Processes in Dense Gases and Liquids
Published on: December 4, 2017
Unifying Impacts in Granular Matter from Quicksand to Cornstarch
J John Soundar Jerome1,2, Nicolas Vandenberghe2, Yoël Forterre1
1Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IUSTI, 13013 Marseille, France.
Abstract:
A sharp transition between liquefaction and transient solidification is observed during impact on a granular suspension depending on the initial packing fraction. We demonstrate, via high-speed pressure measurements and a two-phase modeling, that this transition is controlled by a coupling between the granular pile dilatancy and the interstitial fluid pressure generated by the impact. Our results provide a generic mechanism for explaining the wide variety of impact responses in particulate media, from dry quicksand in powders to impact hardening in shear-thickening suspensions like cornstarch.
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