Eur. Phys. J. B 8, 483-491 (1999)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050715

Force fluctuations in a vertically pushed granular column

Laboratoire des Milieux Désordonnés et Hétérogènes (UMR 7603) , Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Boîte 86, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France

Received: 5 August 1998
Revised: 22 October 1998
Published online: 15 April 1999

Abstract

We present series of experiments on the resistance force encountered by a bottom piston pushing a vertical granular column confined in a two-dimensional cell. We show that, due to the presence of friction at the boundaries and between the grains, the signal shows many complex features. At slow driving velocities, we observe a transition to a stick-slip dynamic instability. Depending on the granular material used, the elementary stick-slip events may either be well characterized or largely distributed. We present a statistical study on the waiting time between events and the distribution of energy release as a function of the spring stiffness and the driving velocity.