A direct link between active matter and sheared granular systems


Abstract in English

The similarity in mechanical properties of dense active matter and sheared amorphous solids has been noted in recent years without a rigorous examination of the underlying mechanism. We develop a mean-field model that predicts that their critical behavior should be equivalent in infinite dimensions, up to a rescaling factor that depends on the correlation length of the applied field. We test these predictions in 2d using a new numerical protocol, termed `athermal quasi-static random displacement, and find that these mean-field predictions are surprisingly accurate in low dimensions. We identify a general class of perturbations that smoothly interpolate between the uncorrelated localized forces that occur in the high-persistence limit of dense active matter, and system-spanning correlated displacements that occur under applied shear. These results suggest a universal framework for predicting flow, deformation, and failure in active and sheared disordered materials.

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