Evolution of solids fraction surfaces in tapping: Simulation and dynamical systems analysis

Abstract

We report our findings on the evolution of solids fraction in a tapped system of inelastic, frictional spheres as a function of the applied acceleration obtained via discrete element simulations. Animations of the simulation data reveal the propagation of a wave initiated from the base that causes local rearrangements of the particles ultimately leading to the development of a dense microstructure.We also describe the analysis of dynamical models capable of predicting the simulated behavior, and advanced visualization techniques for revealing the dynamics. © Springer-Verlag 2012.