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Humidity Effects and Aging Behavior in Granular Media

F. Restagno·H. Gayvallet·L. Bocquet·E. Charlaix
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Abstract

We present a study of humidity effects on the maximum stability angle in granular media. We show that a granular medium of small glass beads exhibits aging properties : the first avalanche angle increases logarithmically with the resting time of the pile. This aging behavior is found to depend on the relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere. A short interpretation of this effect, based on a model of activated capillary condensation, is proposed.

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F. Restagno, H. Gayvallet, L. Bocquet, E. Charlaix. 1999-08-10. Humidity Effects and Aging Behavior in Granular Media. https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/9908142

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