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Granular media

Information propagation

Nature volume 435, pages 159–160 (2005)Cite this article

The transmission of force through granular matter such as sand is a crucial consideration in certain applications. The behaviour observed depends on the particle interactions as well as on the length scale involved.

How is information propagated through granular matter? This is an essential question for researchers investigating the stability of buildings, silos and slopes — particularly for predicting failure and avalanches. Does propagation occur through specific (‘easy’) paths or along a wide front? Is the mechanism similar to that of sound- or light-wave propagation? Is it elastic, or entirely different?

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Figure 1: Three modes of information propagation in two dimensions.

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  1. the Particle Technology Group in Chemical Technology, Applied Sciences Faculty, Technical University of Delft, Julianalaan 136, Delft, 2628 BL, the Netherlands

    Stefan Luding

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  1. Stefan Luding
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Luding, S. Information propagation. Nature 435, 159–160 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/435159a

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