A column of grains in the jamming limit: glassy dynamics in the compaction process

We investigate a stochastic model describing a column of grains in the jamming limit, in the presence of a low vibrational intensity. The key control parameter of the model, <InlineEquation ID="Equ1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\epsilon$</EquationSource> </InlineEquation>, is a representation of granular shape, related to the reduced void space. Regularity and irregularity in grain shapes, respectively corresponding to rational and irrational values of <InlineEquation ID="Equ2"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">$\epsilon$</EquationSource> </InlineEquation>, are shown to be centrally important in determining the statics and dynamics of the compaction process. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 2003