Experimental study of the compaction dynamics for two-dimensional anisotropic granular materials

We present an experimental study of the compaction dynamics for two-dimensional anisotropic granular systems. The compaction dynamics of rods is measured at three different scales: (i) the macroscopic scale through the packing fraction rho, (ii) the mesoscopic scale through both fractions of aligned grains phi(a) and ideally ordered grains phi(io), and (iii) the microscopic scale through both rotational and translational grain mobilities mu(r,t). At the macroscopic scale, we have observed two stages during the compaction process, suggesting different characteristic time scales for grain relaxation. At the mesoscopic scale, we have observed the formation and the growth of domains made of aligned grains during the first stage of compaction. At the late stage, these domains of aligned grains are sheared to form ideally ordered domains. From a microscopic point of view, measurements reveal that the beginning of the compaction process is essentially related to translational motions of the grains. The grain rotations drive mainly the process during the late stages of compaction.