Correlating the force network evolution and dynamics in slider experiments

TL;DR

This study investigates how the evolution of force networks in granular media correlates with the dynamics of a slider moving over them, revealing strong links especially during stick-slip behavior using persistence homology.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of persistence homology to quantify force network dynamics and correlates these with slider motion in granular experiments.

Findings

Strong correlation between force network properties and slider dynamics during stick-slip behavior

Persistence homology effectively quantifies time-dependent force networks

Force network dynamics are less correlated during continuous motion

Abstract

The experiments involving a slider moving on top of granular media consisting of photoelastic particles in two dimensions have uncovered elaborate dynamics that may vary from continuous motion to crackling, periodic motion, and stick-slip type of behavior. We establish that there is a clear correlation between the slider dynamics and the response of the force network that spontaneously develop in the granular system. This correlation is established by application of the persistence homology that allows for formulation of objective measures for quantification of time-dependent force networks. We find that correlation between the slider dynamics and the force network properties is particularly strong in the dynamical regime characterized by well-defined stick-slip type of dynamics.