The asymmetry of stress in granular media (Q1590323)

The authors discuss different definitions of stress in granular materials, and investigate the implications drawn from them. In particular, the authors address the question of the stress tensor being symmetric or asymmetric, respectively, as well as the existence of couple stresses. It is shown that the average stress in granular materials, if defined from virtual work, may be asymmetric in the absence of contact moments. Circumstances and amplitude of stress asymmetry are specified. If the definition of average stress is based on statics rather than on virtual work, the average stress is shown to be always symmetric. Numerical investigations which illustrate the presented analysis deal with two- and three-dimensional particles of cylindrical and spherical shape in double and multiple layer interfaces.