Publications

⭐ Gravity-dependent rate sensitivity in granular intrusion: microgravity experiments and simulations

Meiying Hou, Xiaohui Cheng, Sen Yang, Qilin Wu, Shize Xiao, Hao Li, Raphael Blumenfeld

npj Microgravity 12 , 19 (2026)

⭐ Coordinated Stress-Structure Self-Organization in Granular Packing

Xiaoyu Jiang, Raphael Blumenfeld, Takashi Matsushima

Physical Review E 111 , 045406 (2025)

⭐ Random close packing fraction of bidisperse discs: Theoretical derivation and exact bounds

Raphael Blumenfeld

Journal, submitted (2025)

⭐ Self-organisation - the underlying principle and a general model

Raphael Blumenfeld

Journal, submitted (2025)

Effects of particle angularity on granular self-organization

Dominik Krengel, Haoran Jiang, Takashi Matsushima, Raphael Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 112 , 055407 (2025)

Cell Structure of 2D Cohesive Granular Solid

T. Matsushima, Z. Yu, D. Krengel, R. Blumenfeld

EPJ Web of Conferences 340 , 07018 (2025)

Experimental evidence of detailed balance in granular systems

X. Sun, Y. Wang, Y. Wang, R. Blumenfeld, J. Zhang

Granular Matter 27 , 103 (2025)

Force chains bias the dynamic response to impacts in rubble-pile asteroids

Chenyang Huang, Yang Yu, Peter R. King, Bin Cheng, Raphael Blumenfeld

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 543 , 2523 (2025)

Self-organization, detailed balance, and stress-structure correlations in 2D granular dynamics

R. Blumenfeld, T. Matsushima, J. Zhang

EPJ Web of Conferences 340 , 04007 (2025)

⭐ Granular solids transmit stress as two-phase composites

Raphael Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 109 , 014901 (2024)

Detailed balance in non-equilibrium dynamics of granular matter: derivation and implications

C. C. Wanjura, A. Mayländer, O. Marti, R. Blumenfeld

Preprint (2024)

Structure-dependent impact response propagation in residual rubble-pile asteroids after ejecta

C. Huang, Y. Yu, B. Cheng, P. King, R. Blumenfeld

EPSC2024 (2024)

An Evaluation Method for Automotive Technical and Comprehensive Performance

M. Liu, X. Ouyang, R. Lu, Z. Hao, R. Blumenfeld, X. Tang, G. Lei, H. Ouyang

Automotive Innovation 6 (2023)

Effect of bevelled silo outlet in the flow rate during discharge

P. A. Gago, M. A. Madrid, S. Boettcher, R. Blumenfeld, P. King

Powder Technology 428 , 118842 (2023)

Steady states of two-dimensional granular systems are unique, stable, and sometimes satisfy detailed balance

A. D. C. Myhill, R. Blumenfeld

Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical 56 , 345001 (2023)

⭐ Cell surface fluctuations regulate early embryonic lineage sorting

A. Yanagida, E. Corujo-Simon, C. K. Revell, P. Sahu, G. G. Stirparo, I. M. Aspalter, A. K. Winkel, R. Peters, H. De Belly, D. A. D. Cassani, S. Achouri, R. Blumenfeld, K. Franze, E. Hannezo, E. K. Paluch, J. Nichols, K. J. Chalut

Cell 185 , 777 (2022)

Comment on 'Explicit analytical solution for random close packing in d=2 and d=3' PRL 128, 028002 (2022)

Raphael Blumenfeld

(2022)

Phase transitions in bacteria - From structural transitions in free living bacteria to phenotypic transitions in bacteria within biofilms

Xiaoling Wang, Raphael Blumenfeld, Xi-Qiao Feng, David A. Weitz

Physics of Life Reviews 43 , 98 (2022)

Sub-anomalous diffusion and unusual velocity distribution evolution in cooling granular gases: theory

Raphael Blumenfeld

(2022)

⭐ Disorder Criterion and Explicit Solution for the Disc Random Packing Problem

Raphael Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 127 , 118002 (2021)

Collision-driven emergence of the cosmic web

R. Blumenfeld

arXiv preprint (2021)

Erratum: Disorder Criterion and Explicit Solution for the Disc Random Packing Problem [Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 118002 (2021)]

R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 127 , 259901 (2021)

Locomotion of Self-Excited Vibrating and Rotating Objects in Granular Environments

Ping Liu, Xin Ran, Qichun Cheng, Wei Tang, Jizhou Zhou, Raphael Blumenfeld

Applied Sciences 11 , 2054 (2021)

Mechanical Behaviors of Sandy Sediments Bearing Pore-Filling Methane Hydrate under Different Intermediate Principal Stress

J. He, R. Blumenfeld, H. Zhu

Int. J. Geomech. 21 (2021)

Statistical properties of cell stresses in 2D granular solids

T. Matsushima, R. Blumenfeld

EPJ Web Conf. 249 (2021)

Structural characteristics of ordered clusters in packs of ellipses

Xiaoyu Jiang, Takashi Matsushima, Raphael Blumenfeld

EPJ Web of Conferences 249 , 06004 (2021)

Friction-controlled entropy-stability competition in granular systems

X. Sun, W. Kob, R. Blumenfeld, H. Tong, Y. Wang, J. Zhang

Physical Review Letters 125 , 268005 (2020)

Sink-rise dynamics of horizontally oscillating active matter in granular media: Theory

Ping Liu, Xin Ran, Raphael Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters (2020)

Structural Evolution of Granular Systems: Theory

C. C. Wanjura, P. A. Gago, T. Matsushima, R. Blumenfeld

Granular Matter 22 , 91 (2020)

The unusual problem of upscaling isostaticity theory for granular matter

Raphael Blumenfeld

Granular Matter 22 , 38 (2020)

⭐ Archimedes' law explains penetration of solids into granular media

W. Kang, Y. Feng, C. Liu, R. Blumenfeld

Nature Communications 9 , 1101 (2019)

Force-based three-dimensional model predicts mechanical drivers of cell sorting

C. Revell, R. Blumenfeld, K. J. Chalut

Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286 , 20182495 (2019)

⭐ Archimedes' law explains penetration of solids into granular media

W. Kang, Y. Feng, C. Liu, R. Blumenfeld

Nature Communications 9 , 1101 (2018)

Equally probable positive and negative Poisson's ratios in disordered planar systems

C. M. Verstreken, K. J. Chalut, R. Blumenfeld

Soft Matter 14 , 6554–6560 (2018)

Numerical simulation of a spinning sphere moving in granular matter

Cheng Qi, Ran Xian-Wen, Liu Ping, Tang Wen-Hui, R. Blumenfeld

Acta Physica Sinica 67 (2018)

Stress Tensor for Dense Granular Flow in Plug-Free Regions

M. Schwartz, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 98 , 042905 (2018)

Affine and topological structural entropies in granular statistical mechanics: explicit calculations and equation of state

S. Amitai, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 95 , 052905 (2017)

Bending back stress chains and unique behaviour of granular matter in cylindrical geometries

R. Blumenfeld, J. Ma

Granular Matter 19 , 29 (2017)

Fundamental structural characteristics of planar granular assemblies: self-organisation and scaling away friction and initial state

T. Matsushima, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 95 , 032905 (2017)

Modifying continuous-time random walks to model finite-size particle diffusion in granular porous media

Shahar Amitai, Raphael Blumenfeld

Granular Matter 19 , 1-9 (2017)

Reply to comment on "On the failure of the volume function in granular statistical mechanics and an alternative formulation"

R. Blumenfeld, S. Amitai, J.F. Jordan and R. Hihinashvili

Phys. Rev. Lett. 119 (2017)

Report on International workshop: Soft Matter - Theoretical and Industrial Challenges, celebrating the pioneering work of Sir Sam Edwards

R. Blumenfeld, M.E. Cates and M. Warner

J. Appl. Rheology 27 (2017)

Theory-based design of sintered granular composites triples three-phase boundary in fuel cells

S. Amitai, A. Bertei, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 96 , 052903 (2017)

Vertical dynamics of a horizontally-oscillating active object in a 2D granular medium

Liwei Huang, Xin Ran, Raphael Blumenfeld

Physical Review E 94 , 062906 (2016)

On the failure of the volume function in granular statistical mechanics and an alternative formulation

R. Blumenfeld, S. Amitai, J. F. Jordan, R. Hihinashvili

Physical Review Letters 116 , 148001 (2016)

Physics of granular systems

R. Blumenfeld, S.F. Edwards, S.M. Walley

The Oxford Handbook of Soft Condensed Matter , 167 (2015)

Professor Sir Sam F. Edwards FLSW FRS FIMA (1928-2015)

R. Blumenfeld

Mathematics TODAY (2015)

⭐ On universal structural characteristics of granular packs

T. Matsushima, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 112 , 098003 (2014)

Granular statistical mechanics - a personal perspective

R. Blumenfeld and Sam F. Edwards

Euro. Phys. J. 223 (2014)

Structural evolution of granular systems: Theory

R. Blumenfeld

arXiv preprint (2014)

Granular statistical mechanics: volume-stress phase space, equipartition and equations of state

R. Blumenfeld, J.F. Jordan, S.F. Edwards

AIP Conference Proceedings 1542 , 1186-1189 (2013)

⭐ Inter-dependence of the volume and stress ensembles and equipartition in statistical mechanics of granular systems

R. Blumenfeld, J. F. Jordan, S. F. Edwards

Physical Review Letters 109 , 238001 (2012)

Structural-entropic characteristics of dense planar granular systems

R. Hihinashvili and R. Blumenfeld

Granular Matter 14 (2012)

Theory of strains in auxetic materials

R. Blumenfeld and Sam F. Edwards

J. Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism25 25 (2012)

Plug flow formation and growth in da Vinci Fluids

M. Schwartz, R. Blumenfeld

Granular Matter 13 , 241–245 (2011)

Da Vinci Fluids, catch-up dynamics and dense granular flow

R. Blumenfeld, Sam F. Edwards, M. Schwartz

European Physical Journal E 32 , 333-338 (2010)

Stress transmission and incipient yield flow in dense granular materials

R. Blumenfeld

AIP Conference Proceedings 1227 , 167-182 (2010)

On granular stress statistics: compactivity, angoricity and some open issues

R. Blumenfeld, S. F. Edwards

Journal of Physical Chemistry B 113 , 3981–3987 (2009)

Topological Analysis of Foams and Tetrahedral Structures

Gijs Frenkel, Raphael Blumenfeld, Peter R. King, Martin Blunt

Advanced Engineering Materials 11 , 169-176 (2009)

Analysis of stresses in two-dimensional isostatic granular systems

M. Gerritsen, G. Kreiss, R. Blumenfeld

Physica A (2008)

Stress chain solutions in two-dimensional isostatic granular systems: fabric-dependent paths, leakage and branching

M. Gerritsen, G. Kreiss, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 101 , 098001 (2008)

Structural characterization and statistical properties of two-dimensional granular systems

G. Frenkel, R. Blumenfeld, G. Zdenek, P. R. King

Physical Review E 77 , 041304 (2008)

On entropic characterization of granular materials

R. Blumenfeld

Granular and Complex Materials , 43-53 (2007)

Blumenfeld and Edwards Reply to Comment on 'Granular Entropy: Explicit Calculations for Planar Assemblies'

Raphael Blumenfeld, Sam F. Edwards

Physical Review Letters 99 , 089402 (2007)

Stresses in two-dimensional isostatic granular systems: Exact solutions

R. Blumenfeld

New Journal of Physics 9 , 160 (2007)

Geometric partition functions of cellular systems: Explicit calculation of the entropy in two and three dimensions

R. Blumenfeld, S. F. Edwards

European Physical Journal E 19 , 23–30 (2006)

Isostaticity and controlled force transmission in the cytoskeleton - a model awaiting experimental evidence

R. Blumenfeld

Biophysical Journal 91 , 1970–1983 (2006)

Auxetic strains - insight from iso-auxetic materials

Raphael Blumenfeld

Molecular Simulation 31 , 867-871 (2005)

Granular matter and the marginally rigid state

R. Blumenfeld, S. F. Edwards, R. C. Ball

Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 17 , S2481–S2487 (2005)

Stress transmission and isostatic states of non-rigid particulate systems

R. Blumenfeld

Modeling of Soft Matter , 235-246 (2005)

⭐ Stresses in granular systems and emergence of force chains

R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 93 , 108301 (2004)

Stress in planar cellular solids and isostatic granular assemblies: Coarse-graining the constitutive equation"

R. Blumenfeld

Physica A 336 (2004)

⭐ Granular entropy: Explicit calculations for planar assemblies

R. Blumenfeld, Sam F. Edwards

Physical Review Letters 90 , 114303 (2003)

Coarsening dynamics of phase-separating systems - discussion

A. J. Bray, T. J. Sluckin, T. McLeish, R. Blumenfeld, E. J. Hinch, R. Magerle, R. C. Ball

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A. Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences 361 (2003)

From Plasticity to a renormalisation group

R. C. Ball, R. Blumenfeld

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 361 , 731–740 (2003)

Stress transmission in planar disordered solid foams

R. Blumenfeld

J. Phys. A Math. Gen. 36 (2003)

⭐ The stress field in granular systems: Loop forces and potential formulation

R. C. Ball, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 88 , 115505 (2002)

Dynamics of twists on antiferromagnetic spin chains: Theory

Raphael Blumenfeld

European Physical Journal B 29 , 261-263 (2002)

Large fluctuations of disentanglement forces and implication for polymer dynamics

R. Blumenfeld

cond-mat preprint (2001)

Strange dynamics of domain walls and periodic stripes on antiferromagnetic chains

R. Blumenfeld

cond-mat/ (2001)

Exact multi-twist solutions to the Belavin-Polyakov equation and applications to magnetic systems

R. Blumenfeld and R. Balakrishnan

J. Phys. A A (2000)

Pulling a chain's leg: The pullout dynamics of entangled chains

Raphael Blumenfeld

Macromolecules 33 , 1082 (2000)

Hierarchical structure of domain walls in magnetic layers

Raphael Blumenfeld

Phase Transitions 69 , 237-245 (1999)

Dynamics of fracture propagation in the mesoscale: Theory

R. Blumenfeld

Theor. and Appl. Fracture Mech. 30 (1998)

⭐ Mass fractal lacunarity, Lévy dusts, Mittag-Leffler statistics, and perceived dimension

R. Blumenfeld, Benoit B. Mandelbrot

Physical Review E 56 , 112–118 (1997)

An Einstein model of brittle crack propagation

B. L. Holian, R. Blumenfeld, P. Gumbsch

Physical Review Letters 78 , 78–81 (1997)

Multi-Basin Dynamics of a Protein in a Crystal Environment

A.E. Garcia, R. Blumenfeld, G. Hummer and J. A. Krumhansl

Physica D (1997)

On the twist excitations in a classical anisotropic antiferromagnetic chain

R. Balakrishnan, Raphael Blumenfeld

Physics Letters A 237 , 69 (1997)

Planar curve representation of many-body system dynamics

Raphael Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 78 , 1203 (1997)

Transformation of general curve evolution to a modified Belavin-Polyakov equation

R. Balakrishnan, Raphael Blumenfeld

Journal of Mathematical Physics 38 , 5878 (1997)

Nonequilibrium brittle fracture propagation: Steady state, oscillations and intermittency

R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 76 , 3703–3706 (1996)

Two dimensional Laplacian growth as a system of creating and annihilating particles

R. Blumenfeld, R. C. Ball

Physical Review E 51 , 3434–3443 (1995)

Formulating a first-principles statistical theory of growing surfaces in two-dimensional Laplacian fields

R. Blumenfeld

Phys. Rev. E (1994)

Fracture surfaces: A critical review and a morphological analysis of scanning tunneling microscopy measurements

V. Milman, N. A. Stelmashenko and R. Blumenfeld

Progress in Materials Science 38 (1994)

Two dimensional Laplacian growth can be mapped onto Hamiltonian dynamics

R. Blumenfeld

Phys. Lett. A (1994)

A coarse-graining procedure to generate and analyze heterogeneous materials: Theory

R. Blumenfeld and S. Torquato

Phys. Rev. E (1993)

A probe for morphology and hierarchical correlations in scale invariant structures

R. Blumenfeld and R. C. Ball

Phys. Rev. E (1993)

Experimental measurements of the roughness of brittle cracks

V. Milman, R. Blumenfeld, N. A. Stelmashenko, R. C. Ball

Physical Review Letters 71 , 204 (1993)

Explicitly exact solutions for waves in a family of nonlinear media

R. Blumenfeld

Physica D (1993)

Magnetism and high T{c} superconductors

C. Bowen, D. L. Hunter, R. Blumenfeld and N. Jan

J. Physique I France 3 (1993)

Quantifying morphology of scale-invariant structures beyond the fractal dimension

R. Blumenfeld and R. C. Ball

Fractals 1 (1993)

The distribution of the logarithms of currents in percolating resistor networks, I. Theory

A. Aharony, R. Blumenfeld and A. B. Harris

Phys. Rev. B (1993)

An exact solution for electromagnetic waves in strongly nonlinear media

R. Blumenfeld

J. Phys. A Math. Gen. A (1992)

Current distributions in a two-dimensional random-resistor-network

E. Duering, R. Blumenfeld, D. J. Bergman, A. Aharony and M. Murat

J. Stat. Phys. 67 (1992)

Universal scaling of the stress field at the vicinity of a wedge crack in two dimensions and oscillatory self-similar corrections to scaling

R. C. Ball and R. Blumenfeld

Phys. Rev. Lett. 68 (1992)

Exact results on exponential screening in two-dimensional diffusion limited aggregation

R. C. Ball and R. Blumenfeld

Phys. Rev. A (1991)

Geometrical correlations and the origin of x values at the maximum and intersects of T{c}(x) in La{2-x}Sr{x}CuO{4}

R. Blumenfeld

J. de Physique 1 (1991)

Nonlinear susceptibilities of granular matter

R. Blumenfeld and D. J. Bergman

Phys. Rev. B (1991)

Onset of scale-invariant pattern in growth processes: The cracking problem

R. Blumenfeld and R. C. Ball

Physica A (1991)

Onset of scaling behaviour in 2D slow cracking

R. Blumenfeld and R. C. Ball

Modern Phys. Lett. B (1991)

Sidebranch selection in fractal growth

R. C. Ball, P. W. H. Barker and R. Blumenfeld

Europhysics Letters 16 (1991)

Strongly nonlinear composite dielectrics: a method for exact solution for the potential field and effective bulk properties

R. Blumenfeld and D. J. Bergman

Phys. Rev. B (1991)

The functional form of the T{c}(x) line in the phase diagram of high temperature superconductors

R. Blumenfeld

Physica C (1991)

Breakdown of multifractal behaviour in diffusion limited aggregates

R. Blumenfeld and A. Aharony (Reply)

Phys. Rev. Lett. 64 (1990)

Novel flux solutions in nonlinear continuum systems with negative dynamic resistance

R. Blumenfeld

Physica A (1990)

Pairing of holes via vortex/antivortex attraction in doped La{2-x}Sr{x}CuO{4}

G. Corsten, C. Liem, R. Blumenfeld and N. Jan

J. de Physique 51 (1990)

Phase coherence oscillation of holes in La{2-x}Sr{x}CuO{4}, dynamics of single holes in the CuO plane and the typical pairing time

R. Blumenfeld

Physica A (1990)

Universal scaling of the stress field at the vicinity of a wedge crack in two dimensions and oscillatory self-similar corrections to scaling

R. C. Ball, R. Blumenfeld

Physical Review Letters 65 , 1784–1787 (1990)

Breakdown of multifractal behaviour in diffusion limited aggregates

R. Blumenfeld and A. Aharony

Phys. Rev. Lett. 62 (1989)

Dynamic structure factor of fractals

O. Entin-Wohlman, U. Sivan, R. Blumenfeld and Y. Meir

Physica D (1989)

Exact calculation to second order of the effective dielectric constant of a strongly nonlinear composite

R. Blumenfeld and D. J. Bergman

Phys. Rev. B (1989)

Negative moments of currents in percolating resistor networks

A. Aharony, R. Blumenfeld, P. Breton, B. Fourcade, A. B. Harris, Y. Meir and A. -M. S. Tremblay

Physical Review B (1989)

Nonlinear dielectrics: electrostatics of random media and propagation of waves in a homogeneous slab

R. Blumenfeld and D. J. Bergman

Physica A (1989)

Universality and superuniversality of multifractals in nonlinear networks

R. Blumenfeld

J. Stat. Phys. 56 (1989)

Dynamic structure factor of a deterministic fractal

U. Sivan, R. Blumenfeld, Y. Meir and O. Entin-Wohlman

Europhys. Lett. 7 (1988)

Probability densities of homogeneous functions: Explicit approximation and applications to percolating networks

R. Blumenfeld

J. Phys. A Math. Gen. A (1988)

Fluid flow in a random porous medium: A network model and effective medium approximation

R. Blumenfeld and D. J. Bergman

J. Appl. Phys. 62 (1987)

Resistance fluctuations in randomly diluted networks

R. Blumenfeld, Y. Meir, A. Aharony and A. B. Harris

Phys. Rev. B (1987)

Series analysis of randomly diluted nonlinear networks with negative nonlinearity exponent

Y. Meir, R. Blumenfeld, A. B. Harris and A. Aharony

Phys. Rev. B (1987)

Infinite set of exponents describing physics on fractal networks

R. Blumenfeld, Y. Meir, A. B. Harris and A. Aharony

J. Phys. A Math. Gen. A (1986)

Series analysis of randomly diluted nonlinear resistor networks

Y. Meir, R. Blumenfeld, A. Aharony and A. B. Harris

Phys. Rev. B (1986)

Nonlinear resistor fractal networks, topological distances, singly connected bonds and fluctuations

R. Blumenfeld, A. Aharony

Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General 18 , L443–L448 (1985)