Rice Pile Experiments conducted at Tulane University in 2022

A suite of rice pile experiments were conducted in the Sediment Dynamics Laboratory at Tulane University. Rice was fed to the rice pile from a dry particle feeder (Schenk Accurate) and efflux was measured at approximately 1 second intervals using an Ohaus EX12002 balance (accuracy and precision of 0.1 grams). The balance has a maximum mass of 12kg, and all experiments were run until the balance was saturated. The dimensions of rice grains used in the experiments have a diameter of 2.5±0.5 mm, length of 8±0.5 mm and a mass of 0.02 grams. Data includes: - Acceleration data - To ensure the efflux data are driven only by the internal autogenic dynamics of the rice pile and not triggered by external noise. We measured accelerations of the room, the room and the sediment feeder and a full rice pile experiment using Phyphox application on iPad which records x, y and z accelerations at an increment of ~0.05 seconds to two significant digits of acceleration with SI units. - Sediment feeder calibration - rice was fed directly from the sediment feeder to the scale, to confirm we had high temporal control over the cycles imposed. - Control experiment realizations - experiment run under a constant influx rate of 0.37 grams/sec for a total of 9 hours. - Constant feed rate experiments - A suite of 9 experiments run under a constant influx rate - Cyclic feed rate experiments - A matrix of 36 experiments run under cyclic influx rate. To achieve parity with the control experiment, a mean driving rate of 0.37 grams/sec was attained for all cyclic experiments. 9 periodicities were chosen to cover the range of autogenic timescales evident in the control experiment: 6s, 12s, 24s, 48s, 100s, 250s, 500s, 1000s and 2000s. The amplitude of the cycles were chosen as percentages of the mean feed rate (0.37 grams/sec), increasing in 25% intervals from 25% (0.0925 grams/sec) to 100% (0.37 grams/sec).