Numerical stress response functions of static granular layers

TL;DR

This paper uses molecular dynamics simulations to analyze how the stress response in static granular layers depends on packing, layer thickness, and measurement location, revealing key scaling behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed numerical analysis of stress response functions in granular layers, highlighting the effects of preparation and geometry on stress distribution.

Findings

Stress response shape varies with packing arrangement.

Layer thickness influences the stress response profile.

Response functions exhibit specific scaling properties.

Abstract

We investigate the stress response function of a layer of grains, i.e. the stress profile in response to a localized overload. The shape of the profile is very sensitive to the packing arrangement, and is thus a good signature of the preparation procedure of the layer. This study has been done by the use of molecular dynamics numerical simulations. Here, for a given rain-like preparation, we present the scaling properties of the response function, and in particular the influence of the thickness of the layer, and the importance of the location of the overload and measurement points (at the boundaries, in the bulk).