Losert Lab

Our group studies granular flows with new imaging techniques such as three dimensional laser sheet scanning

We track particle motions in a granular material subjected to compaction using a laser scattering based imaging method where compaction is achieved through thermal cycling.  Particle displacements in this jammed fluid correlate strongly with rearrangments of the Voronoi cells defining the local environment about the particles, similar to previous observations of Rahman on cooled liquids.  Our observations provide further evidence of commonalities between particle dynamics in granular matter close to jamming and supercooled liquids.

Correlation Between Particle Motion and Voronoi Cell Shape Fluctuations During the Compaction of Granular Matter

Granular Dynamics

Extracting 3D positions of all particles from 3D images of jammed granular matter.  Images obtained with laser sheet scanning