DOI: 10.1051/jp1:1995215
J. Phys. I France 5 (1995) 1527-1537

Simulation on Size Segregation: Geometrical Effects in the Absence of Convection

S. Dippel^{1, 2} and S. Luding<sup>1, 3

1</sup>  Theoretische Polymerphysik, Rheinstr. 12, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
²  HLRZ, KFA Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
³  Laboratoire d'Acoustique et d'Optique de Matière Condensée URA 800, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France

(Received 10 May 1995, revised 28 August 1995, accepted 5 September 1995)

Abstract
Using a modification of an algorithm introduced by Rosato et al., we study the segregation behaviour of the vibrated container filled with monodisperse discs and one large intruder disc. We observe size segregation on time scales comparable to experimental observations. The large disc rises with a size dependent velocity. For size ratios smaller than a critical value we find metastable positions during the ascent, in agreement with geometrical arguments by Duran et al. This confirms the importance of geometry as one of the possible causes for size segregation. We relate our results to recent experiments and discuss the mechanisms active in size segregation in the absence of convection.

© Les Editions de Physique 1995