Rigid Cluster Decomposition Reveals Criticality in Frictional Jamming

Phys Rev Lett. 2016 Jan 15;116(2):028301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.028301. Epub 2016 Jan 15.

Abstract

We study the nature of the frictional jamming transition within the framework of rigidity percolation theory. Slowly sheared frictional packings are decomposed into rigid clusters and floppy regions with a generalization of the pebble game including frictional contacts. Our method suggests a second-order transition controlled by the emergence of a system-spanning rigid cluster accompanied by a critical cluster size distribution. Rigid clusters also correlate with common measures of rigidity. We contrast this result with frictionless jamming, where the rigid cluster size distribution is noncritical.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Friction*
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Particle Size
  • Shear Strength