Jamming of frictional spheres and random loose packing

Abstract

The role of friction coefficient, \(\mu\), on the jamming properties of disordered, particle packings is studied using computer simulations. Compressed, soft-sphere packings are brought towards the jamming transition - the point where a packing loses mechanical stability - by decreasing the packing fraction. The values of the packing fraction at the jamming transition, \(\phi^{\mu}_{c}\), gradually decrease from the random close packing point for zero friction, to a value coincident with random loose packing as the friction coefficient is increased over several orders of magnitude. This is accompanied by a decrease in the coordination number at the jamming transition, \(z^{\mu}_{c}\), which varies from approximately six to four with increasing friction. Universal power law scaling is observed in the pressure and coordination number as a function of distance from the generalised, friction-dependent jamming point. Various power laws are also reported between the \(\phi^{\mu}_{\rm c}\), \(z^{\mu}_{\rm c}\), and \(\mu\). Dependence on preparation history of the packings is also investigated.