Propagation of interacting force chains in the continuum limit

TL;DR

This paper investigates how force chains in granular materials propagate and merge, revealing conditions under which these materials exhibit elastic-like behavior and highlighting their generally non-elastic nature due to non-linearity.

Contribution

It introduces a combined numerical and analytical approach to study force chain mergers and clarifies the conditions for elastic-like responses in granular materials.

Findings

Granular materials typically do not behave elastically.

Elastic behavior can occur under specific conditions.

Non-linearity leads to non-elastic responses in force chains.

Abstract

We study the effect of mergers in the force chain model describing the stress profile in static granular materials. Combining numerical and analytical calculations we show that granular materials do not generally behave in an elastic-like manner, however they may under specific conditions, which are elaborated. Non-elastic behavior resulting from the non-linearity of the full force chain model is discussed.