9300665 Brennen A combined experimental and analytical study of the effect of vibrations on the motion of a granular material is proposed. The study aims to improve fundamental understanding of basic mechanisms in relatively simple situations. The "phase change" caused by vibrations, bifurcation, transition to chaotic behavior, velocity and granular temperature profiles will be measured with instrumentation developed by the research group. Numerical simulations of one-dimensional columns of particles on a vibrating plate, and of flow in externally vibrated chutes will be performed, and compared to experiments. It is expected that fundamental data on vibrating granular materials will be obtained, with application to vibrofluidization, molding of powder materials and others industrial processes. The work has relevance also to earthquake and geotechnical engineering. ***
