Experimental study of wave generation by a granular collapse

Abstract

We consider experimentally the wave generation by the collapse of a dry granular column into water. Our results show that for a given aspect ratio of the initial granular column, the amplitude of the generated wave depends on the column mass and for a given mass of the granular column, two distinct regimes are observed depending on the aspect ratio of the column a: for a < 3.5, the volume of the generated wave is directly proportional to a whereas for thinner column, a > 3.5, there is a saturation of the amplitude of the wave suggesting that the leading wave is generated before the collapse is fully completed.