Vibrational Fluidization of Granular Media

AbstractTo investigate the vibrational fluidization of granular media, 60 samples of three different granular materials were tested at six normal stresses and a wide range of vibration accelerations. The experiments were conducted on a modified vibrational direct shear apparatus, in which vibration was applied horizontally in the direction of shear. The peak, residual, and vibroresidual shear strength envelopes were obtained for the tested materials at different vibration intensities. The results show that increasing vibration intensity reduces the friction angle of granular materials and increases the normal stress, σf, below which granular material is fluidized. The particle shape effect on the strength loss due to vibration was also observed.