The precursors to stick-slip events in sheared granular systems*

The stick-slip transition of granular systems is related to earthquakes and avalanches, and therefore understanding the conditions leading to slip events is of general importance. Although stick-slip behavior has been studied extensively, what triggers a slip event still remains unclear. The purpose of our study is to explore the existence of precursors to slip events. For this purpose, we study a sheared system in a stick-slip regime via two-dimensional discrete element simulations. Particular focus is on the evolution of force networks before and during slip events. We will show that some features of force network evolution could be used to gain insight into the occurrence of a slip event.