Numerical Simulation of Random Close Packing with Tetrahedra
LI Shui-Xiang, ZHAO Jian, ZHOU Xuan
College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex System Study, PekingUniversity, Beijing 100871
Numerical Simulation of Random Close Packing with Tetrahedra
LI Shui-Xiang;ZHAO Jian;ZHOU Xuan
College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871State Key Laboratory for Turbulence and Complex System Study, PekingUniversity, Beijing 100871
摘要The densest packing of tetrahedra is still an unsolved problem. Numerical simulations of random close packing of tetrahedra are carried out with a sphere assembly model and improved relaxation algorithm. The packing density and average contact number obtained for random close packing of regular tetrahedra is 0.6817 and 7.21 respectively, while the values of spheres are 0.6435 and 5.95. The simulation demonstrates that tetrahedra can be randomly packed denser than spheres. Random close packings of tetrahedra with a range of height are simulated as well. We find that the regular tetrahedron might be the optimal shape which gives the highest packing density of tetrahedra.
Abstract：The densest packing of tetrahedra is still an unsolved problem. Numerical simulations of random close packing of tetrahedra are carried out with a sphere assembly model and improved relaxation algorithm. The packing density and average contact number obtained for random close packing of regular tetrahedra is 0.6817 and 7.21 respectively, while the values of spheres are 0.6435 and 5.95. The simulation demonstrates that tetrahedra can be randomly packed denser than spheres. Random close packings of tetrahedra with a range of height are simulated as well. We find that the regular tetrahedron might be the optimal shape which gives the highest packing density of tetrahedra.
LI Shui-Xiang;ZHAO Jian;ZHOU Xuan. Numerical Simulation of Random Close Packing with Tetrahedra[J]. 中国物理快报, 2008, 25(5): 1724-1726.
LI Shui-Xiang, ZHAO Jian, ZHOU Xuan. Numerical Simulation of Random Close Packing with Tetrahedra. Chin. Phys. Lett., 2008, 25(5): 1724-1726.
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2008, Vol. 25 
