Abstract:

I experimentally investigate jamming in a quasi-two-dimensional granular system as a function of packing density and show that a maximum in the height of the first peak of the pair correlation function is a structural signature of the jamming transition at zero temperature. The same signature is also found in the second peak of the pair correlation function, but not in the third peak, reflecting the underlying singularity of jamming transition. I also study the development of clusters in this system. A static length scale extracted from the clustering reaches the size of system when the system approaches the jamming point. Finally, I show that in a highly inhomogeneous system, friction causes the system to jam in series of steps. In this case, jamming is obtained through successive buckling of force chains.