Evidence of local ‘seisms’ of microscopic and macroscopic stress fluctuations during the deformation of a packing of grains
Abstract
Experiments on motions and deformations of non-cohesive granular materials are characterized by important fluctuations both in time (sudden breaks, avalanches, earthquakes) and space (strain localizations, yield surfaces). The conventional wisdom, based on the standard tendency to homogeneize, has been to dismiss them as experimental noise. Here, we suggest that these fluctuations observed both at large scales and at the grain scale constitute an important intrinsic signature of the mechanics of granular media.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Granular flow and fluidized beds
Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Mechanics
Microstructure and mechanical properties
Publication details
- Journal / source
- CRC Press eBooks
- Pages
- 173–178
- Publication date
- 11 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter