Aging in humid granular media

TL;DR

This study explores how aging affects the static stability of humid granular media, examining factors like wear, stress, and humidity, including ethanol atmosphere effects, to understand frictional property evolution over time.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the aging behavior of granular media under various environmental and mechanical conditions, including humidity and ethanol atmosphere effects.

Findings

Aging increases the maximum stability angle of glass beads.

Humidity and wear significantly influence aging effects.

Ethanol atmosphere alters aging behavior.

Abstract

Aging behavior is an important effect in the friction properties of solid surfaces. In this paper we investigate the temporal evolution of the static properties of a granular medium by studying the aging over time of the maximum stability angle of submillimetric glass beads. We report the effect of several parameters on these aging properties, such as the wear on the beads, the stress during the resting period, and the humidity content of the atmosphere. Aging effects in an ethanol atmosphere are also studied. These experimental results are discussed at the end of the paper.