A micromechanical model of collapsing quicksand
GRANULAR MATTER, 13 (3, SI):
219-223 (2011)DOI: 10.1007/s10035-010-0236-1
Abstract
The discrete element method constitutes a general class of modeling
techniques to simulate the microscopic behavior (i.e. at the particle
scale) of granular/soil materials. We present a contact dynamics method,
accounting for the cohesive nature of fine powders and soils. A
modification of the model adjusted to capture the essential physical
processes underlying the dynamics of generation and collapse of loose
systems is able to simulate ``quicksand'' behavior of a collapsing
soil material, in particular of a specific type, which we call ``living
quicksand''. We investigate the penetration behavior of an object for
varying density of the material. We also investigate the dynamics of the
penetration process, by measuring the relation between the driving force
and the resulting velocity of the intruder, leading to a ``power law''
behavior with exponent 1/2, i.e. a quadratic velocity dependence of the
drag force on the intruder.