Transition dynamics and magic-number-like behavior of frictional granular clusters

Abstract

Force chains, the primary load-bearing structures in dense granular materials, rearrange in response to applied stresses and strains. These self-organized grain columns rely on contacts from weakly stressed grains for lateral support to maintain and find new stable states. However, the dynamics associated with the regulation of the topology of contacts and strong versus weak forces through such contacts remains unclear. This study of local self-organization of frictional particles in a deforming dense granular material exploits a transition matrix to quantify preferred conformations and the most likely conformational transitions. It reveals that favored cluster conformations reside in distin..