Influence of static and dynamic internal actions on elastic nonlinear properties of a granulated unconsolidated medium

We have studied the influence of external static (pressure) and dynamic (caused by an elastic wave with a finite amplitude) actions on the linear and nonlinear elastic properties of a granulated unconsolidated medium, which was simulated by steel spheres with diameters of 2 and 4 mm. We have analyzed the equation of state for such a medium taking into account the presence of weakly and strongly deformed contacts between individual spheres. We have obtained expressions for the elasticity coefficient and second- and third-order nonlinear elastic parameters, and we have experimentally studied the influence of external static pressure on their values. We have measured the dependence of the velocity of elastic waves on external static pressure and the probing signal amplitude. In the studied medium, a number of structural phase transitions were observed, related to rearrangement of the packing of spheres, which were caused by both static and dynamic actions. The structural phase transition was accompanied by an anomalous change in the nonlinear elastic parameters of the medium and the velocity of elastic waves. We have analyzed the results based on the Hertz theory of contact interaction.