Eur. Phys. J. B 35, 399-411 (2003)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2003-00292-2

A column of grains in the jamming limit: glassy dynamics in the compaction process

¹ Service de Physique Théorique (URA 2306 of CNRS) , CEA Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
² S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector 3, Salt Lake, Calcutta 700098, India

Corresponding author: ^a luck@spht.saclay.cea.fr

Received: 12 May 2003
Published online: 15 October 2003

Abstract

We investigate a stochastic model describing a column of grains in the jamming limit, in the presence of a low vibrational intensity. The key control parameter of the model, ε, is a representation of granular shape, related to the reduced void space. Regularity and irregularity in grain shapes, respectively corresponding to rational and irrational values of ε, are shown to be centrally important in determining the statics and dynamics of the compaction process.