Developments in micromechanical modelling of granular materials: Editorial note

Abstract

The special issue of Granular Matter honors Ioannis Vardoulakis, an innovative experimentalist, a brilliant mechanician, an enthusiastic scientist, a devoted teacher, and above all an exceptional human being. Fifteen articles have been divided into five groups to showcase his work. The first group epitomizes the influence of his work in the development of Cosserat (or micropolar) continuum theory. Alonso-Marroquin presents a micromechanical derivation of the Cosserat continuum based on intra-granular stress, giving special emphasis to the asymmetry of stress, a favorite preoccupation of Vardoulakis. The second group of papers is devoted to the microstructural behavior of granular media. The ..