Shock wave formation and propagation in vertically vibrated quasi-two-dimensional granular materials are studied by digital high speed photography. Steep density and temperature wave fronts form at the bottom of the granular layer when the layer collides with vibrating plate. Then the fronts propagate upwards through the layer. The temperature front is always in the transition region between the upward and downward granular flows. The effects of driving parameters and particle number on the shock are also explored.

We present experimental study of vibrofluidized granular materials by high speed photography. Statistical results present the averaged dynamic behaviors of granular materials in one cycle, including the variations of height, velocity and mechanical energy of the center of mass. Furthermore, time-space distribution of granular temperature which corresponds to the random kinetic energy shows that a temperature peak forms in the compression period and propagates upward with a steepened front. The Mach number in the steepened front is found to be greater than unity, indicating a shock propagating in the supersonic granular media.

The fact that trapezoid clusters exist in 2D vertically vibrated granular systems leads us to construct a cluster model, in which wave-like motions are explained as the result of cluster-plate and cluster-cluster collisions. By analyzing the collision of one cluster with the plate in detail, we deduce a basic equation from velocity relationship, which could be separated into two correlative equations: one relates wave-like motion with exciting acceleration, and we call it the excitation condition; the other relates wavelength with exciting frequency, viz., the dispersion relation. The theoretical results are in agreement with the experimental ones, which supports the idea of the cluster model. Moreover, from the cluster model, we also predict a possibility of abnormal dispersion relation of a 2D granular system.

The dissipative properties and scaling law for a layer of vertically vibrated granular materials were investigated by means of a dynamical model of a single sphere colliding completely inelastically with a massive, oscillating plate. A relationship is presented of how the temperature of the layer scales with the acceleration of the plate and the restitution coefficient of the grains. The numerical calculation shows the existence of an "energy well" and a "temperature well," which could be used to explain the existence of a f/2 flat (where f is the external driving frequency) state in an experiment on vibrated granular material.