On sticky-sphere assemblies

Abstract

As the simplest model of a frictional-cohesive granular material, a variant on the (Baxter 1968) sticky hard-sphere of statistical mechanics is proposed. The present model is characterized by a hard-sphere diameter σ, a coefficient of sliding friction μ and a adhesive contact force T. It is argued that, depending on the initial density and disorder of the packing and on the magnitude of T/po ^{σ 3}, where p0 is a con- finement pressure, assemblies of such particles should exhibit purely inelastic behavior, ranging from that of a coherent solid to that of a noncohesive granular media. Recent computer simulations of a similar model for rock strength (Huang 1999) suggest that a three-dimensional variant of the classical Coulomb model with cohesion may apply.

The most important contribution of this brief article is perhaps the proposal for an organized multi-investigator collaboration on the computer simulation of the mechanics of various idealized granular media.