- Letter
Anomalous descent of intruders in vibrated gas-fluidized granular materials
Phys. Rev. E 111, L013403 – Published 24 January, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.111.L013403
Abstract
The descent of dense intruder disks through granular material fluidized by vertical gas flow and vibration is investigated experimentally and computationally. Single intruders descend with a velocity which oscillates based on distance above the bottom of the system, which simulations show is due to a spatially dependent void fraction in the granular material changing the effective drag force on the intruder. Two vertically aligned intruders undergo a drafting-kissing-tumbling analog which forms because the bottom intruder decelerates due to particle compaction from the weight of the top intruder.
