Contact Network Statistics During Vibration of Disk Packings

We use simulations of bidisperse disks that interact via purely repulsive linear springs to determine properties of contact networks during vibration at various energies and pressures. From a set of initially existing contacts in a mechanically stable reference state the contact probability during vibration can be predicted by measuring the inter-particle potential before vibration. We explore the energy regions below particle rearrangement where our prediction is valid and discuss a physical mechanism for this behavior based on the exchange of potential and kinetic energy between particles.