2013 article
Focus on granular segregation
Daniels, K. E., & Schroeter, M. (2013, March 13). NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS, Vol. 15.
Ordinary fluids mix themselves through thermal motions, or can be even more efficiently mixed by stirring. In contrast, granular materials such as sand often unmix when they are stirred, shaken or sheared. This granular segregation is both a practical means to separate materials in industry, and a persistent challenge to uniformly mixing them. While segregation phenomena are ubiquitous, a large number of different mechanisms have been identified and the underlying physics remains the subject of much inquiry. Particle size, shape, density and even surface roughness can play significant roles. The aim of this focus issue is to provide a snapshot of the current state of the science, covering a wide range of packing densities and driving mechanisms, from thermal-like dilute systems to dense flows.