Monitoring micro-failures prior to granular avalanches using Diffusive Acoustic Wave Spectroscopy and Grain Tracking

Granular avalanches occur in both natural and industrial environments, influencing landscape evolution and posing risks in engineering applications. Understanding their precursors is crucial for predicting failure events and mitigating hazards. This study explores kinematic indicators of impending avalanches through strain fluctuations, measured via Diffusive AcousticWave Spectroscopy and grain tracking. We find that strain fluctuations grow exponentially as the system approaches the avalanche angle, and that the amplitude of this growth is controlled by the initial packing fraction of the pile.